US3367298A

US3367298A - Bottom dump hopper barge

Info

Publication number: US3367298A
Application number: US575137A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond A Jessup
Original assignee: Dredging Industries Aust Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Dredging Industries Aust Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1965-08-25
Filing date: 1966-08-25
Publication date: 1968-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 1985-02-06
Also published as: DE1506169A1; GB1102660A; NL6611984A

Description

Feb. 6, 1968 R. A. JESSUP v BOTTOM DUMP HOPPER BARGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 25, 1966 wm mm Feb. 6, 1968 R. A. JESSUP 3,367,298

BOTTOM DUMP HOPPER BARGE Filed Aug. 25, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG .4

Bf @(Wy United States Patent 3,367,298 BOTTOM DUMP HOPPER BARGE Raymond A. Jessup, Killara, New South Wales, Australia, assignor to Dredging Industries (Aust.) Pty. Limited, Killara, New South Wales, Australia, a company of Australia Filed Aug. 25,1966, Ser. No. 575,137 Claims priority, application Australia, Aug. 25, 1965, 63,217/ 65 7 Claims. (Cl. 114-36) This invention has been devised to provide a bottom dump hopper barge which experiments have shown will have a greater factor of safety and greater structural stability than such barges as constructed hitherto. In addition the bottom dump barge of this invention can be built more economically than barges of the same capacity as constructed hitherto. Other advantages will be apparent from the following description.

Basically this bottom dump hopper barge comprises at least two tubular pontoons supported in spaced relationship-to constitute the sides of the bargeby a bow structure, a stern structure and at least two transverse hollow bulkheads. The bottom of the barge is formed of bottom wall plates fixed longitudinally to the pontoons and to the bow and stern structures and at least two tubular door members hinged to structural members in juxtaposition to the bottom wall plates. At least two hydraulic units mounted in the bulkheads are operatively connected to the door members. A coaming structure is fixed to the pontoons and bow and stern structures.

A presently preferred embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the annexed drawings, where- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the barge; FIGURE 2 is a deck plan;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section on plane 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are transverse sections on the planes 4--4 and 55 respectively, of FIGURE 2.

In this embodiment two cylindrical pontoons 1 are used to form the sides of the barge. They have their ends angled as at 2 to constitute a cutwater like prow at the bow and at the stern. A bow structure and a stern structure 3 joining the pontoons are both angled in the same manner, and are made as watertight compartments. There is a decking 4 on the bow structure and on the stern structure. Each decking extends to and is fixed to fore and aft trans verse end coamings 5, respectively.

The coamings 5 are fixed to side coamings 6. The coamings 6 are made of two plates welded together longitudinally at an acute angle with one limb 7 shorter than the other limb 8. The short limbs 7 of the coamings 6 are fixed to the respective pontoons 1 at or adjacent the vertical line thereof (see FIGURES 4 and 5) and the long limbs 8 are fixed to the pontoons 1 on the inner sides of the hull. The end coamings 5 are also made of two plates welded together longitudinally at an acute angle with the limbs of equal length; they are additionally fixed to end hollow bulkheads 9 which latter, with an inwardly set plate 4a forming part of the bow and stern structures 3, and with the decking 4 on the bow and stern structures, seal oif the bow and stern parts from the fore and aft hoppers 10 and constitute parts of the bow and stern structures. Additional hollow bulkheads 11 and 12 form the inner ends of the hoppers 10 and with a further hollow bulkhead 13 divide the remaining hold structure into

hoppers

15 and 16.

The bottom wall plates 17 are formed as acute angled members each with a short limb 18 and a long limb 19. The short limbs 18 are fixed to the pontoons 1 below the horizontal centre lines thereof and project inwardly substantially horizontally. The long limbs 19 are fixed to the pontoons 1 preferably above the horizontal centre line and form with the long limbs 8 of the coaming and the parts 20 of the respective pontoons between them, sloping side walls of the

hoppers

10, 15, 16.

The door structure consists of two tubes 21 or in the case of long barges several sets of two tubes in axial alignment.

Each tube 21 has swing arms 22 fixed, one on each end thereof, and these swing arms are mounted on journal pins 23 fixed in the respective bulkheads in a position to permit the tubes 21 to meet in door closed position and to swing under the long limbs 18 of the bottom wall plates 17 in door open position and clear of the opening thus provided between the bottom wall plates 17. Each tube 21 has an angle plate 24 fixed longitudinally thereon to form, when the door is closed, a seal against the respective bottom wall plates 17.

The tubes 21 are moved to open and closed position by crank arms 25, fixed one on each end thereof and adjoining crank arms on the respective tubes are connected in pairs by links 26 to a swinging cross head 27 mounted on the plunger rod 28 of a hydraulic cylinder 29 supported on structural members, such as columns 30 fixed to the respective bulkheads. The hydraulic cylinder units are located in the bulkheads. There is one hydraulic unit 28- 29 in each of the bulkheads 9, and two in each of the intermediate bulkheads.

The hydraulic units 28-29 are connected by hydraulic circuits to a pumping mechanism accommodated in an engine house 31 on the decking 4. The pumping mechanism includes a pressure accumulator and a regulator adapted to maintain a determined pressure in the hydraulic circuits. The circuits are arranged so that the doors are held in closed position by hydraulic power and also so that the doors of each hopper can be operated inde pendently or in unison. Manual and radio remote control apparatus (not shown) is incorporated so that the doors can be operated from a boat to which the barge is connected.

For those barges adapted for loading by pumping equipment a loading duct or pipe 32 is incorporated. It is located longitudinally and centrally of the hopper and from a high point amidship it slopes downwardly to each end. At the high point a funnel-like socket 33 is incorporated to receive a delivery pipe. Outlets 34 are formed throughout its length in juxtaposition to the respective hoppers. Conventional bollards, catwalks and manholes are incorporated as well as rubbing strakes on the pontoons.

I claim:

1. A bottom dump hopper barge comprising at least two tubular pontoons supported in spaced relation ship--to constitute the sides of the barge-by a bow structure, a stern structure and at least two hollow bulkheads; the bottom of the barge being formed of bottom wall plates fixed longitudinally to the pontoons and to the bow and stem structures and at least two tubular door members hinged to structural members in juxtaposition to the bottom wall plates; at least tWo hydraulic units mounted in the hollow bulkheads and operatively connected to the door members; a coaming structure fixed to the pontoons and to the bow and stern structures.

2. A bottom dump hopper barge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pontoons have their ends angled to constitute a cutwater like prow at the bow and at the stern and the bow structure and the stern structures are angled in the same manner and the bow structure and the stern structure each incorporate a decking which extends to and is fixed to fore and aft transverse coamings respectively.

3. A bottom dump hopper barge as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the bottom wall plates are formed as acute angled members with one limb shorter than the other, said short limbs being fixed to the respective pontoons below the horizontal centre line thereof and project inwardly substantially horizontally, said long limbs being fixed to the respective pontoons preferably above the horizontal centre line thereof and form with the long limbs of the coarning and parts of the respective pontoons sloping side walls of hoppers.

4. A bottom dump hopper barge as claimed in claim 1, wherein each tubular door member has a swing (hinge) arm fixed one on each end thereof, said swing arms being mounted on journal pins fixed in bulkheads in a position to permit the tubes to meet in door closed position and to swing under the respective bottom wall plates in door open position.

5. A bottom dump hopper barge as claimed in claim 4, wherein each tubular door member has a crank arm fixed one on each end thereof and adjoining crank arms on respective door members are connected in pairs by links to a swinging cross head mounted on the plunger rod of a hydraulic cylinder fixed to a support column, the several hydraulic cylinder units being located in the bulkheads.

6. A bottom dump hopper barge as claimed in claim 5, wherein the hydraulic units are connected by hydraulic circuits to a pumping mechanism accommodated in an engine house on the barge, the pumping mechanism including a pressure accumulator and a regulator adapted to maintain a determined pressure in the hydraulic circuits, said circuits being arranged so that the doors are held in closed position by hydraulic power and so that the doors of each hopper can be operated independently or in unison.

7. A bottom dump hopper barge comprising-two tubular pontoons joined together in parallel spaced relationship, by a bow structure, a stern structure and at least two hollow bulkheads, said bow and stern structures beiwg watertight compartments, the bottom of the barge being formed of bottom wall plates and at least two tubular door members hinged to structural members in juxtaposition to the bottom wall plates, said bottom wall plates being acute angled members fixed longitudinally to the pontoons and to the bow and stern structures, coamings made as acute angled members fixed to the pontoons and the bow and stern structures, parts of said coamings, parts of said bottom wall plates and the parts of the respective pontoons between them forming sloping side walls of the barge hopper, at least two hydraulic units mounted in the hollow bulkheads and operatively connected to the door members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,217,682 11/1965 Christianson 1l436 FOREIGN PATENTS 870,216. 6/1961 Great Britain.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. MAJOR, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A BOTTOM DUMP HOPPER BARGE COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO TUBULAR PONTOONS SUPPORTED IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP-TO CONSTITUTE THE SIDES OF THE BARGE-BY A BOW STRUCTURE, A STERN STRUCTURE AND AT LEAST TWO HOLLOW BULK HEADS; THE BOTTOM OF THE BARGE BEING FORMED OF BOTTOM WALL PLATES FIXED LONGITUDINALLY TO THE PONTOONS AND TO THE BOW AND STERN STRUCTURES AND AT LEAST TWO TUBULAR DOOR MEMBERS HINGED TO STRUCTURAL MEMBERS IN JUXTAPOSITION TO THE BOTTOM WALL PLATES; AT LEAST TWO HYDRAULIC UNITS MOUNTED IN THE HOLLOW BULKHEADS AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE DOOR MEMBERS; A COAMING STRUCTURE FIXED TO THE PONTOONS AND TO THE BOW AND STERN STRUCTURES.