US3109406A

US3109406A - Barge connecting means

Info

Publication number: US3109406A
Application number: US159634A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stockdale Geoffrey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-12-17
Filing date: 1961-12-15
Publication date: 1963-11-05
Anticipated expiration: 1980-11-05

Description

Nov. 5, 1963 G. STOCKDALE 3,109,406

BARGE CONNECTING MEANS Filed Dec. 15, 1961 N 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORI GEOFFREY STOCKDALE ATTO RNEV Nov. 5, 1963 G. STOCKDALE 3,109,406

BARGE CONNECTING MEANS Filed Dec. 15, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORZ GEOFFREYQTOCKDALE ATTORNEYS N v. 5, 1963 e. STOCKDALE 3,109,405

BARGE CONNECTING MEANS Filed Dec. 15, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR GEOFFREY ST QGKDALE U h/Z51 w ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,109,406 BARGE CONNECTING MEANS Geoifrey Stockdale, 57 Greenleas Road, Wallasey, England Filed Dec. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 159,634 Claims priority, application Great Britain Dec. 17, 1960 1 Claim. (Cl. 114-235) This invention relates to the connecting of barges and other buoyant, load-carrying units (all hereinafter for convenience of description included in the term buoyant unit) and has for its object to provide simple and effective means whereby similar buoyant units having different draughts and/or trims may be secured one to the other with their hull structures in longitudinal alignment thereby to facilitate the propulsion of same. The invention has particular, although, of course, not exclusive reference to my prior United States application for patent Serial Number 54,500, filed September 7, 1960, now abandoned, which describes and claims a composite load-carrying watercraft comprising a plurality of individual and separable buoyant units or sections which require to be connected one to the other by steel wires or cables.

Obviously, the hull structures of such buoyant units could be aligned by pumping out or flooding provided ballast chambers, but this procedure has a disadvantage in that it takes, usually, a considerable period of time and, furthermore, it may reduce the available lift or loadcarrying potential of the units.

The present invention has for its object therefore to provide simple and effective means of aligning and, if desired, securing together the hull structures of adjacent buoyant units without, or in addition to, the utilizing of ballast chambers or compartments.

According to the invention, and in one mode of embodiment, a buoyant load-carrying unit is provided at one or each end with a pair of structures for anchoring and guiding the cables used in drawing together and aligning said unit with an adjacent unit or units, said structures being disposed at, or adjacent to, each side of the unit and characterized in that each structure includes two (or more) vertically spaced rollers or pulleys or other anti-friction devices for said cables. Winch or other tensioning or load applying means are provided for the cables. Tensioning means may be provided in respect of each co-acting pair of cable-guiding structures, or portable tensioning means may be used in conjunction with releasable stop means for preventing back-run of the cables.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention there is provided at each end of a buoyant unit at deck level a pair of cable guiding structures bolted or otherwise secured in position and spacedly located one at each side of the unit. Each structure comprises a pair of stout cheek plates or members between which are journalled two rollers or pulleys spaced vertically apart and adapted to function as anti-friction guides for the connecting cables.

Means are provided at or adjacent to each cable guiding structure for anchoring the end of a cable, and the tensioning devices may be of hand or power operated type and be of a fixed or portable nature as found most convenient.

In the use of connecting means as described, and assuming two similar load-carrying buoyant units have been brought end to end in proximity, and one is more deeply laden than the other, then the cables connecting the two units are guided around the pulleys or rollers of the units in such manner that suitable vertical as well as horizontal forces are produced between the units when the connecting cables are tightened by the means provided. Thus the adjacent ends of the hull structures of the buoy- 3,109,406 Patented Nov. 5, 1963 ant units, in addition to being drawn together, can be horizontally aligned due to the difference in vertical location of the guide pulleys or rollers over which the connecting cables pass which ensures that there will always be available 2. vertical component of the load applied by the cable tensioning device, or appropriate stops, suificient to effect such alignment.

To facilitate the relative vertical displacement of the units once in contact, guide rollers or other anti-friction devices may be fitted to the meeting faces or bulkheads of the units, such devices being arranged to enter provided recesses and become inoperate as anti-friction devices once correct alignment of the hull structures of the units has been achieved.

The invention is further described with the aid of the accompanying more or less diagrammatic drawings which illustrate, by way of example only, one mode of embodiment.

In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of two floating buoyant units in the process of being connected together by means according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of same.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of one of the cable-guiding and anchoring structures, and

FIG. 4 a view taken at right angles to that of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the disposition of the anti-friction rollers when the buoyant units are aligned.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary schematic elevation, drawn to an enlarged scale as compared with the preceding views, and illustrating an anti-friction roller as referred to entering into a co-acting recess.

Referring now to said drawings, 10, 11 denote two buoyant units which are provided at each end with, in this instance, two cable anchoring and guiding structures each generally designated 12. The bulkheads 10a, 11a of said units 10, 11 are each provided with anti-friction devices in the form of rollers 13 carried by brackets 14, and with recesses 15. Said rollers 13 and recesses 15 are so positioned in their respective bulkheads that when the two units have been pulled into aligned abutment (as hereinafter described) the rollers 13 of each unit become located in the respective recesses 15 of the said units and cease to function as anti-friction devices.

Preferably, as illustrated in the drawings, at least two rollers 13 are provided adjacent the deck line of a unit and two adjacent the bottom thereof with co-acting recesses 15 in the respective bulkheads.

Each cable-guiding and anchoring structure 12 comprises a pair of check plates 12a or equivalent members bolted securely in position and between which are journalled the shafts 12b of two rollers or pulleys 16, 17. These pulleys 16, 17 are spaced vertically apart as far as is necessary for the purpose intended. Spacer plates are provided between the plates 12a.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, the buoyant unit 10 is illustrated as being lower in the water x than unit 11, and to connect the two units in alignment, it is necessary to apply a load or loads which will function not only to draw the units together but will also impart relative vertical movement thereto.

To this end, cables 25 are anchored at 25a one to each of the structures 12 of unit 10 and then are led over the upper pulley 16 of the opposed structures 12 of the unit 11. From thence the cables pass round and under the lower pulleys 17 of structures 12 of unit 10 and then over pulleys 17 of unit 11. The ends 25b of the cables are connected with tensioning or load applying devices of requisite power (not shown) and which may be manually or power operable as found convenient. Thus, when a load is applied to the cables 25, in the direction indicated forces pulling said units together, there are vertical components of the load which function to bring the hull structures into horizontal alignment.

During such alignment of the units 10, 11 the rollers 13 function as shown to prevent undue friction-between rthe bulkheads 10a, 11a as they meet until such time as said bulkheads become aligned, or substantially so, when said rollers 13 and their support brackets 14 enter the provided recesses 15 as shown most clearly in FIGS. and 6.

The said brackets 14 are each located, preferably, in recesses 26 of their respective bulkheads and comprise spaced angle brackets 14a (FIGS. 4 and 5) having radiused front surfaces 14b (FIG. 6) and the diameters of the, rollers 14 journalled between said brackets are such that when said brackets-cum-rollers are fully entered within the recesses 15, i.e. when the bulkheads 10a, 11a are in aligned abutment, then the brackets 14 engage the upper and lower walls a, 15b of said [recesses 15 as shown in broken lines in FIG. 6, whereby the rollers 13are rendered completely'inoperative. Further, the entry of the brackets 14 of each unit 10, 11 within the corresponding recesses 15 provides a mechanical lock between the units which prevents unwanted movement taking place.

Clearly, the aligning of two buoyant units 10, 11 as described may result in the trim of the combined units being altered, but this can be corrected if desirable by flooding ballast compartments at one or both of the free ends of the units or/and by the connecting of said free ends to succeeding buoyant units.

Obviously, the number of cable anchoring and guiding structures 12 provided at each end of a buoyant unit as 10, or 11 will be suited to requirements and the forces to be exerted, and may number one, or more, as found necessary.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Means for drawing together and aligning adjacent buoyant units so as to have the same draft and trim, comprising a pair of separate buoyant units each having end bulkheads and decks, at least 'one cable guiding and anchoring structure mounted at deck level and at each side of each of said buoyant units and having at least two pulleys disposed in spaced vertical relationship, a cable eXtend ing around the pulleys of said cable guiding and anchoring structure of both units and connected to one of said units, anti-friction rollers provided at each side and at the top and bottom of the bulkheads of said units to be brought into alignment, brackets extending from said bulkhead carrying said anti-friction rollers, said bulkheads having recesses for co-operai-tng with said brackets,

said brackets and recesses being so relatively positioned that when said unit bulkheads are in aligned abutment the brackets of one of said bulkheads engage in said recesses of the opposed bulkhead, and said brackets being of a configuration for mating with their co-operating recess when they engage said recesses for rendering inoperative the anti-friction rollers carried by said brackets.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 741,841 France Dec. 20, 1932 1,225,623 France Feb. 22, 1960 1,247,972 France Oct. 31, 1960