US3200784A - Cargo barge cover - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 17, 1965 w GOWAN, SR

CARGO BARGE COVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 11, 1964 R m N w m MLL/IPFE GOWfi/V, .92.

Aug. 17, 1965 Filed June 11, 1964 W. E- GOWAN, SR

CARGO BARGE COVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

INVENTOR. WILL/7RD EGOWfl/V, 5m

I BY United States Patent 3,200,784 CARGO BARGE COVER Willard E. Gowan, Sn, Arnold, Mo., assignor to St. Louis Shipbuilding-Federal Barge, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed June 11, 1964, Ser. No. 374,350 6 Claims. ((11. 114-201) This invention relates to cargo barge covers and is particularly concerned with an improved cover construction for cargo barges.

Cargo barges for packaged and bulk cargos require coverage against water damage from wave action and rain while being shipped. Protection has heretofore been provided by removable metal covers of the rolling type in which low sections of the cover pass under high sections, or covers of the lift-off type which can be stacked for loading and unloading the hold. Usually the covers have been constructed of flat sheets or plates reinforced on the underside by angle and channel stiffeners to afford necessary strength.

In the aforementioned constructions the covers have had satisfactory structural characteristics, but the stiffeners present ledges and surfaces which can accumulate duct, dirt and foreign matter. Such matter may be coal dust, sulphur powder, grain, phosphate rock and kindred material which is left over from previous lading. In the handling of the rolling or lift-off covers, bumping or jarring displaces the accumulated materials on the ledges and horizontal surfaces so that the material is dis lodged to fall into the cargo space to contaminate other cargos. Contamination results in expensive damage claims by shippers against barge operators.

Attempts have been made to overcome the foregoing problems by constructing covers with the structural stilfeners on the outside to provide smooth inside surfaces, but such covers make it clifiicult to remove spilled cargos or dispose of snow and ice.

A general object of this invention is to provide an improved cargo cover in which accumulations of foreign materials are reduced or eliminated.

It is an object of this invention to provide cover means having a minimum of structure for easy cleaning and elimination of surfaces which can present places for foreign materials to collect.

Another object of the invention is to provide covers having a self-supporting corrugated construction so that internal as well as external stiffener-s may be selected to avoid surfaces capable of collecting contaminating materials.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unique corrugated type cover construction having pain and snow run-off slopes of such form that simple self-clearing stiffeners can be utilized to maintain strength.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a barge hopper cover of corrugated form with rain run-off slopes in opposite directions from a bend in the corrugations running transversely of the corrugations and to strengthen the cover at the bend by members secured to the crests and valleys to constitute a truss giving the cover great strength with minimum weight and number of components.

A presently preferred embodiment of the present invention is exemplified by corrugated cover plates having a 32%,784 Patented Aug. 17, 1965 central longitudinal crimp which is reinforced by longitudinal members set at the crimp to maintain continuity of strength both longitudinally and transversely, such members being disposed inside and outside and in positions for easy inspection and cleaning. In the preferred embodiment the stifleners .are free of surfaces which can accumulate foreign materials, thereby avoiding the hazards of cargo contamination.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more particularly described in connect-ion with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a barge having cover sections of the high and low rolling type, the view showing the general arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal side elevational view of the barge seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken at line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken at line 4-4 in FIG. 3

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the cover showing further details thereof along line 5-5 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of two adjacent covers in closed relationship.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, 9 indicates the barge hull to which the novel cover assembly is applied. The barge hull has a lad-ing space or hopper indicated in out-line by the dash line 10. Internal dividing bulkheads (not shown) may be utilized to divide or sectionalize the hopper space, or the hopper may be entirely open as shown. The cover assembly of this invention is seen to include a series of cover sections, those shown at 11, 12, 13 and 14 being the high sections, and those shown at 15, 16, 17 and 18 being the low sections which are sufficiently smaller so as to pass beneath the high sections. The covers are mounted on rollers (as will be described presently) so that they may be moved longitudinally to expose the hopper lti for loading and unloading cargo. For example, cover 15 may be moved under cover 11, and cover 16 under cover 12, thereby opening the hopper in the area normally closed by covers and 16. Also, the covers may be rolled all to the bow or stern to open at least half of the hopper, or any portion of the hopper may be opened along the length thereof by other arrangements of the covers, all as is understood in this art.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 the cover section 17 consists in a plate or sheet of corrugated form in which crests 19 and valleys 20 alternate across the width. Th corrugations are directed transversely of the barge hull length to provide stiffness in that direction and to avoid sag. The corrugated cover 17 is also formed with rain run-off slopes in opposite directions from a longitudinal center line, and in order to form the slopes the corrugations in the valleys 20 must be crimped or formed to allow the sheet to be sloped as required. In forming the slope in a corrugated sheet structural discontinuity results so that the sloped sheet is Weaker after the bending or forming operation.

The present improvement is intended to overcome the weakening of corrugated sheets when formed intermediate the length thereof to provide oppositely directed sloping surfaces. It is also intended to permit the use of unitary sheets of .a length to span the width of the barge hopper 10, thereby making covers more economical and stronger. In the forming of corrugated cover 17 (FIGS. 3 and 4), the point 19A is the ridge line from which the sheet slopes in opposite directions. To obtain the slope, the valleys 20 must be crimped at 29A, and the sides 21 of the valley must be crimped, but in a progressively diminishing or tapered form 21A toward the ridge point 19A. The result of the crimping operation produces a uniform crimp ZtiA in the flat portion of the valley as, and tapered crimps 21A in the sloping sides 21 of the valley.

' The crirn- ps 20A and 21A result in structural discontinuity in the cover at each of the crimps MA and 21A which would allow the cover to sag. In order to stabilize the cover with the desired run-off slope, the structural continuity over the crimp is restored by fixing a member 22 in the crimp, the member 22 being formed of bar stock to fit into the crimp 20A. Welds 23 are used to secure the member 22 in place so that the structure of the valley 29 will transmit tension stress directly through the member 22, thereby avoiding the tendency of the crimp to flatten out. The use of a suitable length of stock for member 22 will add to the strength of the cover in bending perpendicularly to the direction of the corrugations. Additional strength is obtained by securing an external ridge member 24 over the ridge points 19A at the corrugation crests. The ridge member 24 may be a downwardly open channel having the side flanges toe-welded at 25 to the surfaces of the crests 1? so that the two parts work together. Thus, the several covers are composed of continuous side-to-side cover sheets of corrugated shape in section, with rain and water run-off slopes formed :by crimps 25A and 21A, and structural continuity over the crimps by the interior bar member 22 and exterior ridge member 24 secured to the sheets to provide a truss member supporting the sloped condition of the cover. Each cover 11 to 18 is essentially the same, except for dimensional differences between the high covers 11 to 14 and the low covers 15 to 13.-

In FIG. 6, a high and a low cover are shown in perspective, such for example as the high cover 14 and low cover 18 of FIG. 6. In practice the cover sheets are usually of plate-like thickness so that the usual corrugating operation is not practical. In place of the usual forming operation, the covers may be made up of a plurality of strips of stock, the strips including a crest 19, two slopes 2]; and half of the adjacent valleys 20, the valleys are connected by welding along the seams 2d.

The high cover 14, has its outer end supported on a beam made up of an outer angle plate 27 and an inner angle plate 28 joined in such a manner that the narrow angle flange 27A of the outer angle 2'7 provides the surface to receive the cover 14. The narrow angle flange 28A of the inner plate 23 is turned out to abut plate 27 and thereby form a box beam. Suitable rollers 29 are mounted in the box beam and are free to ride on rail 36 which is carried on a support 31 which is part of the hull structure, as for example the above deck coaming which is an extension of the below deck hopper walls. The rail 36 and support 31 are spaced above the deck 32 and support rollers 29, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 6.

Now referring to FIG. 6, it can be understood that the ends of the corrugation crests 19 are raised above the angle flange 27A so that a series of openings under the cover result. Such openings are closed by welding or securing cover elements consisting of specially formed plates having a main portion 33 and opposite triangular wings 34 bent to conform with the slope of the sides 21 of the valleys 2d.

The low cover 1% shown in FIG. 6 is also supported on a box beam along its opposite ends. Each such beam (one being seen) includes an outer angle plate 35 with an upper internal angle flange 35A. An inner angle plate (not shown) cooperates with the outer plate 35 to support rollers, such as roller 34' riding on rail 37. Also, the ends of the crests 19 for cover 18 are closed by cover elements 33, just as for cover 1-4.

The opposite side of cover 14 is shown in FIG. 5 from the interior so that the angle plate 28 has its angle flange 23A turned out. The outer angle plate 27 has its angle flange 27A turned in. This view of cover 14 is intended to show that the corrugated cover 14 (and the same would be true for cover 18) would normally form pockets on top of the angle flange 27A and within the exterior end covers 33, 34. To avoid this, a series of interior baffle plates 38 are secured in place to block off the pockets and make a clean interior surface without places for contaminating materials to collect. Each baflie plate 38 is for-med wit-h .a center rectangular portion and opposite end triangular wings 38A shaped to closely lit the contour of the sides 21 and crest 19 of the corrugated plates. Thus, the corrugations in the Zones of the supporting box beams 27, 35 are exteriorly closed over at the ends by covers 33 and blocked off by internal baffles 33.

It can be appreciated that the present cover construction has great simplicity in that each cover is corrugatedto give it initial rigidity and self-supporting ability, and can be given a water run-01f slope without loss of structural integrity by combining simple members with the corrugations in the form of a truss at the zone of loss of strength. Also, the use of exterior cover elements 33 and interior baffles 38 gives the assembly freedom from contamination of cargos. It is also noted that the bar 22 is set on edge in the crimp MBA and does not present a flat surface on which foreign matter can lodge.

While the improvement hereof has been shown in a preferred form, it should now be appreciated that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is desired to cover all modifi cations falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cargo barge having a hopper for cargo to be transported therein, the improvement of a cargo protection cover for the hopper comprising corrugated sheet material having crests and valleys and a bend in the sheet perpendicular to the crests and valleys, said bend being defined by a series of crimps in the valleys constituting a structural discontinuity in the under side of said cover and allowing the sheet material to slope off in opposite directions for rain run off, and a pair of members secured to said sheet at said bend and to the crests and valleys, one of said members being secured to said crimps to restore the structural continuity caused by said crimps, and said members together with said crests and valleys constituting a truss structurally supporting said sheet transversely of the direction of the corrugations.

2. The improvement set forth in claim 1, wherein the other of said members is secured to the crests on the outer surface of said cover, said members being in spaced parallel relationship with said cover material disposed there between and said members and cover material forming said truss.

3. A cover for a cargo hopper comprising a pair of support members adjacent two opposite sides of the hopper, a cover sheet having its opposite ends supported on said support members and being formed intermediate said ends with a ridge directed parallel to said support members and elevated above said ends for rain run off, said cover sheet being formed with corrugationsdirected transversely of said support members, said corrugations having crests and valleys which at said ridge are formed with crimps in said valleys and bends in said crests, and means secured to said cover sheet along the ridge to structurally support and stifiTen said cover sheet, said structural means including a member secured in said crimps to restore structural continuity in said valleys across said crimps.

4. The cover set forth in claim 3, wherein said structural means also includes a second member secured to said crests, said member secured to said crimps and to said crests forming with said corrugations a truss beam.

5. A corrugated sheet having alternate flat crests and References Cited by the Examiner valleys joined by slanting sides, crimps formed in said flat UNITED STATES PATENTS valleys and extending into said slanting sides to allow 2 008 640 7/65 F bending said sheet transversely of the corrugations for In J mser 2,330,819 10/43 Faure et a1.

forming oppositely directed slopes, said crunps causlng 2,853,131 9/58 Kummerman 114-201 X structural discontlnulty in said sheet, and a member secured in said crimps to restore structural continuity in FOREIGN ATENTS said valleys across said crimps. 14,623 1928 Australia.

6. The corrugated sheet set forth in claim 5, wherein 1,322,992 2/ 63 France. said crirnps have two angularly related faces and said 10 member is a bar having surfaces seated against said two MILTON BUCHLER: Primary Exammerfaces. ANDREW FARRELL, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A CARGO BARGE HAVING A HOPPER FOR CARGO TO BE TRANSPORTED THEREIN, THE IMPROVEMENT OF A CARGO PROTECTION COVER FOR THE HOPPER COMPRISING CORRUGATED SHEET MATERIAL HAVING CRESTS AND VALLEYS AND A BEND IN THE SHEET PERPENDICULAR TO THE CRESTS AND VALLEYS, SAID BEND BEING DEFINED BY A SERIES OF CRIMPS IN THE VALLEYS CONSTITUTING A STRUCTURAL DISCONTINUITY IN THE UNDER SIDE OF SAID COVER AND ALLOWING THE SHEET MATGERIAL TO SLOPE OFF IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FOR RAIN RUN OFF, AND A PAIR OF MEMBERS SECURED TO SAID SHEET AT SAID BEND AND TO THE CRESTS AND VALLEYS, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS BEING SECURED TO SAID CRIMPS TO RESTORE THE STRUCTURAL CONTINUITY CAUSED BY SAID CRIMPS, AND SAID MEMBERS TOGETHER WITH SAID CRESTS AND VALLEYS CONSTITUTING A TRUSS STRUCTURALLY SUPPORTING SAID SHEET TRANSVERSELY OF THE DIRECTION OF THE CORRUGATIONS.

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