WO2008029198A2 - Automatic system for the safe recovery of the mooring ropes of a craft - Google Patents

Abstract

An automatic system for the safe recovery of the mooring lines of a craft fastened to a anchor log or to a catenary in the depth, wherein one or more recovery lines of said ropes are fastened to a floating buoy. The buoy is retained below by a retaining line which runs on eyebolts provided on weights sunk in the depth, remaining in the proximity thereof, as far as a control unit provided on the quay. Here the retaining line may be secured, so as to normally keep the buoy in a submerged condition and to allow the surfacing thereof only when the recovery lines of the mooring lines must be recovered therefrom.

Description

AUTOMATIC SYSTEM FOR THE SAFE RECOVERY OF THE MOORING ROPES OF A CRAFT

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DESCRIPTION The present invention refers to a system for the recovery of the mooring lines of a pleasure craft - referred to as "craft" in short in the following - and, in particular, to an automatic system which allows to perform the craft mooring - when the mooring lines are anchored in the depth - in safer and more comfortable conditions.

As it is well known to people skilled in the field, stern- on mooring, or finger mooring of crafts, is largely widespread in tourist ports or berths, since it allows a much higher density of moored crafts than traditional alongside-quay mooring. Such type of mooring is normally achieved by attaching the craft stern-first to the quay or piers by ropes fastened to suitable bitts or other fastening accessories and by attaching the bow to a normally submerged mooring rope, which is fastened to retaining means anchored in the depth, such as a catenary or an anchor log.

For the sake of greater clarity and ease of understanding, only reference to the mooring of crafts to a "quay" will be made in the present application, but the system of the present invention is of course identically applicable in case of mooring to fixed or floating "piers" , or to a canal or river "bank" . In the following, exclusive reference will furthermore be made to the stern-first berthing operations of crafts, because this is more convenient for disembarking and therefore far more widespread, but it is equally possible to apply the mooring system of the invention in case of bow-first mooring without the need for any special changes to such system.

Currently, there are two known ways to recover the mooring rope and be able to then fasten it to the craft bow.

A first method consists in connecting the mooring rope to the quay through a recovery line or chain, sufficiently loose to rest on the bottom when not in use. In this case, recovery of the mooring rope from the depth is performed by hooking on and manually dragging the recovery line from the quay to the craft bow, after mooring the stern of the same to the quay. This technique, now more widespread, is employed in all tourist ports and berths which are sufficiently protected from adverse marine meteorological conditions.

This mooring mode has the following drawbacks. As we have seen, in order to be able to retrieve the mooring rope fastened to the catenary, it is first necessary to moor the craft stern- first to the quay. Subsequently, it is necessary to hook the recovery line and drag it as far as the bow, either manually or through a suitable rod provided with a sliding pulley. During this procedure it is therefore necessary to frequently check the mooring and the craft position, either through the motors or by manually hooking to other already-moored crafts, so as to avoid impacts against the same or against the quay, which operation may prove difficult in the presence of wind, undertow or currents. At the same time, retrieving the recovery line shows the impurities collected thereby in the depth (mud, seaweed, mollusca, etc.), which may soil or at times injure the person in charge of the operation and which in any case nearly always smear the craft flank and deck. Finally, there is a constant risk of the recovery lines getting caught in the steering members of the craft (rudders and propellers) and it is therefore necessary to carefully ensure - both during and at the end of the berthing operations, and before departure - that the recovery line has been properly sunk, or in any case that it is kept at a safe distance from the craft bottom.

The second method consists in fixing the mooring rope to a buoy floating in the expanse of water in front of the mooring berth. In this second case the mooring rope is hence taken directly from the buoy floating to the bow of the craft. This is a technique traditionally used in tourist berths which are not sufficiently protected by adverse marine meteorological conditions or located in rivers or canals with currents; as a matter of fact, the opportunity of firstly mooring the craft on the bow-side allows to remarkably limit possible craft movements and hence to then proceed with greater tranquillity to stern mooring at the quay. In some of these berths, for safety- reasons, mooring ropes are also already arranged at the quay. In such case it is necessary to retrieve from the depth also these ropes, which for this reason are connected through a recovery line to the same buoy used for the bow mooring rope fixed to the catenary.

However, this second mooring mode too is not devoid of drawbacks. As a matter of fact, in order to retrieve the bow mooring line fixed to the buoy, it is necessary to simultaneously perform a quay-approaching and buoy-approaching manoeuvre. During this procedure, however, it is necessary to keep the buoy at a safe distance from the craft bottom in order to avoid hooking of the mooring rope by the steering members . Moreover, if the recovery line for stern mooring is tied up to the buoy also, it is necessary to pay attention both during retrieval and during the subsequent sinking of the line, for the reasons already set forth in detail above.

After having hooked the buoy ahead of the craft, it is necessary to then lift it on board with a pole hook to free the recovery line of the mooring rope. With high-side crafts, however, this manoeuvre is not always possible, considering that the anchoring chain of the buoy normally allows just a very limited lifting run, and the sailor is hence forced to bend down to take the mooring rope from the floating buoy, and consequently finds himself in a particularly uncomfortable and unstable position.

The most serious drawback of the two mooring modes shown above remains in any case the frequent likelihood of hooking the recovery lines or the other mooring equipment onto the propellers and/or rudders for different reasons, and in particular due to: manoeuvring human error during berthing and departure operations;

- sudden damage or unexpected shutdown of the steering members (motor stalling or cut-off, rudder breakage or blocking, etc.);

- adverse marine or meteorological conditions (beam wind or gusty wind, currents, undertow waves, etc.); - excessively close position of the recovery line to the craft bottom due to shallow depth.

The general object of the present invention is hence to overcome the drawbacks shown above of conventional mooring methods, providing in particular a system for the automatic recovery of the bow mooring rope of a craft .

A main object of the invention is in particular that of allowing to perform bow-first mooring of the craft, with no need to first moor the stern to the quay (as occurs in the first one of the known methods illustrated above) and without having the bulk of the bow buoy during the berthing manoeuvre (as occurs instead in the second one of the known methods described above) , so as to make berthing operations safer and faster even in adverse marine meteorological conditions. The above-said objects, and other advantages, are achieved through an automatic system for the recovery of the mooring rope which has the features reported in the accompanying claim 1. The dependent claims define some specific preferred embodiments of the present invention. In the following a preferred embodiment of the system for the recovery of the mooring rope of the present invention is described, merely by way of example, also with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: fig. 1 is a diagrammatical side view of a moored craft showing the automatic system for the recovery of the mooring rope of the present invention, in a home position; fig. 2 is a view similar to fig. 1, wherein the craft is in a mooring step and the system of the invention is in a working position; fig- 3 is a top plan view of a control unit of the system according to the invention, and; fig. 4 is a cross-section view according to line IV-IV of fig. 3.

The automatic system for the recovery of the mooring rope according to the invention, diagrammaticalIy shown in figs. 1 and 2, substantially consists of a buoy 1, of two anchoring and sliding weights 2, and of a control unit 3, steadily fixed to quay B and capable of locking and unlocking a retaining line 4 sliding within the same. One end of retaining line 4 is loose on the quay, whereas the opposite end is fixed to the submerged part of buoy 1. A first end of a recovery line 5 is instead fixed to the floating part of buoy 1, the other end of which is connected to a mooring rope 6 which is steadily fastened to a catenary 7 or to an equivalent anchor log. Weights 2 have identical structure and are sunk in the proximity of the quay and of the expanse of water in front of the bow area of craft I in a mooring position, respectively .

In fig. 1 the system is shown in a home position. In this position, buoy 1 is retained in the proximity of bottom F by line 4, locked in the desired position by control unit 3, whose structure will be better described in the following. For this purpose, weights 2 - in addition to the usual central sinking eyebolts 8 - are provided with side eyebolts 9 for the running and sliding of retaining line 4. Side eyebolts 9 are preferably inclined, for example to about 45°, so as to offer minimal friction resistance to sliding, and are fixed to weight 2 for example by through-tyrants, locked at their free end by a nut and washer.

The submerged position of buoy 1 is maintained when craft I is moored or when the berth is empty. In this position, and thanks to the above shown arrangement, line 4 remains in the proximity of bottom F along its entire length, so that the expanse of water in which the craft is to perform the mooring/unmooring manoeuvres is perfectly clear from any kind of floating or semi-submerged obstacle which may interfere with the steering members thereof.

When craft I returns to the port or berth, it is hence possible to cause it to do, with the greatest possible freedom, all the manoeuvres required to put it in the correct berth position and berth trim, without having to worry about any obstacle to such manoeuvres, which are not merely the possibly surrounding crafts, and it being in any case possible to remain at a safe distance from quay B, as shown in fig. 2. At this point control unit 3 is actuated to release line 4, so that buoy 1, thanks to its buoyancy, surfaces in the proximity of the craft bow area, thereby allowing to quickly and easily take the recovery line 5 and hence bow mooring rope 6. It will be noticed how, also in this working position of the system of the invention, lines 4 and 5 are both well away from the stern area where the craft steering members are found, which therefore cannot interfere in any way therewith.

Once the craft has been correctly and steadily bow-moored, it is then possible to provide to the stern mooring in the different known ways already illustrated above.

In a simplified version of the system of the present invention, control unit 3 fixed on quay B may consist of a fairlead with stopper wherein retaining line 4 is fastened after having pulled it to an extent sufficient to sink buoy 1. In this case, when the craft is mooring, ground staff are required who provide to release line 4 off the stopper of the fairlead when the craft is in its correct berthing position and the crew wish to recover the mooring ropes . In a preferred semiautomatic version, control unit 3 may instead be actuated by a remote control to release retaining line 4, while the reactivation of buoy 1 in a submerged position still occurs manually. A preferred embodiment of such version, which is considered to be a good compromise between device efficiency and cost, and therefore to be more appealing to the market, is shown in further detail in figs. 3 and 4.

Finally, a fully automatic version - i.e. wherein a small motorised, remote-controllable winch is additionally provided to pull retaining line 4 and to sink buoy 1 once berthing operations have ended - of control unit 3 may be assumed, especially for berths housing larger crafts.

In the semiautomatic version, which - as we said - is shown in detail in figs. 3 and 4, the control unit consists of a box 10 with a sealed cover 11 and two openings 12 and 13 for retaining line 4 to pass through, to quay B and to buoy 1, respectively. In its path inside device 3, line 4 (shown by the dotted lines only for improved clarity) is guided on a clam cleat 14 by a fairlead 15 and by an outlet pulley 16. In the area comprised between clam cleat 14 and pulley 16, line 4 then runs on the mobile bridge of a bridge lever 17. In the position shown in fig. 4, lever 17 has no effect on line 4, which is hence steadily captured and locked by the clam cleat due to the force of traction imparted to line 4 by the buoyancy of buoy 1, of course when the latter is submerged.

In order to obtain the release of line 4, lever 17 is caused to rotate until the bridge of the same determines the lift of line 4 off the sheet tensioner wherefrom it is hence released; the line itself is hence capable of freely sliding under the buoyancy force of buoy 1 until the buoy arranges itself in a floating position.

The releasing action of retaining line 4 may hence be achieved through any remote-controllable servomechanism, capable of causing bridge lever 17 to rotate. In the embodiment shown, such servomechanism comprises an electric motor 18, rigidly coupled with a worm screw 19 which is housed with its opposite, freely rotating end in a rest bushing 20 integral with a wall of box 10. The rotary motion of worm screw 19 then turns into an rocking movement of bridge lever 17 through a nut-thread 21 which slides and is guided on a support bar 22, to which nut- thread a freely sliding element of bridge lever 17 is pivoted.

For the remote actuation of motor 18, device 3 finally comprises a processing unit 23, a radio-receiving unit 24 and a supply unit 25 for the electric supply of the different elements described above. Through a conventional infrared remote control, of a type known per se and hence not shown and described in detail here, it is possible to remotely actuate motor 18 and to thereby determine the rotation of bridge lever 17 and, as a result, the release of line 4. Inside box 10 suitable separation means are naturally provided between the wet area, i.e. the one where line 4 runs, and the dry area where the electrical devices are housed. In berths provided with electricity at quay, the supply unit is directly connected to the electric network; in the opposite case, it is connected to one or more batteries also arranged within the dry area of control unit 3. From the preceding description, the operation of the system for the automatic recovery of the mooring rope of a craft, which is the subject of the present invention, should already be perfectly clear. As a matter of fact, during the mooring manoeuvre, after having brought craft I in the position shown in fig. 2, control unit 3 is actuated by means of the remote control . Electric motor 18 thereby causes worm screw 19 to rotate causing nut- thread 21 to shift and the consequent rotation of bridge lever 17, thereby releasing retaining line 4. Buoy 1, no longer retained in a submerged position, surfaces afore of the craft thanks to its buoyancy, recalling the required length of line 4 which was found upstream of unit 3. The crew can hence easily retrieve mooring rope 6, taking from buoy 1 the recovery line 5 and pulling the same towards themselves. It will be noticed that in this step of the operation - unlike what happened in the second mooring method of the previous known art - buoy 1 does not offer any special resistance to lifting, since it is not anchored in the depth, and can hence be easily hoisted to deck even on high-side crafts in order to take more easily the recovery line(s) of the mooring ropes.

Upon completion of berthing operations, motor 18 of control unit 3 is started again by acting on the remote control to depress bridge lever 17 to the home position thereof, wherein it does not interfere with line 4. Once disembarked, it is provided to sink buoy 1 again, by manually pulling retaining line 4 to the extent required, which line protrudes from opening 12 of control unit 3. The berth is thereby already ready for a new craft departure: as a matter of fact, after having started the motor and released the stern moorings, it is sufficient to free the craft from the bow moorings by throwing them into water and waiting only for a few moments, before going off the coast with any obstacle having to be taken into account; as a matter of fact, since the mooring ropes are no longer retained by any floating body, sinking of said ropes is very quick.

The system for the recovery of mooring ropes according to the present invention hence allows to keep two stable positions of the retaining line(s) connecting the mooring ropes, a home one and a working one. The presence of the two weights allows to retain buoy 1 and the retaining line in the depth when in the home position, and to let the retaining line slide - yet always keeping it in the depth - when in the working position. The control unit is capable of locking the retaining line when in the home position and to release it, possibly by a remote control, when in the working one, to allow the buoy to surface, and consequently to allow the crew to get hold of the mooring ropes .

From the preceding description, it is clear how the system for the automatic recovery of the mooring rope of the present invention has fully solved all the drawbacks found in the known mooring systems described above. In particular, the system allows to perform the berthing and unberthing manoeuvres in an expanse of water fully clear of any floating or semi-submerged mooring devices . The system furthermore allows to have all the mooring ropes immediately available, as soon as the craft is in the desired position and the pilot deems it suitable, by simply activating a remote control and through an unanchored floating buoy, which can hence be hoisted up onboard without meeting any special resistance. Finally, in case also the stern moorings are attached to buoy 1 through a second recovery line, said line is sunk together with buoy 1 and hence does not cause any problem to the steering members of the craft upon departure.

It will further be noticed that the system for the automatic recovery of mooring ropes of the present invention is conceptually extremely simple, consequently boasting reduced costs and easy maintenance. As a matter of fact, in comparison to known manual systems, it provides the simple addition of two weights and of the control unit with remote control. System maintenance is hence limited to the cleaning and possible annual greasing of clam cleat 14 and of pulley 16, as well as to the periodic battery replacement when control unit 3 is not powered by the electric network.

The system for the recovery of the mooring ropes has been described only with reference to a specific embodiment of the present invention, but it is clear that a number of variants thereof may lie within the obvious reach of a person skilled in the art, which variants hence fall within the scope of protection of the invention, as defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1) Automatic system for the safe recovery of the mooring ropes of a craft, of the type wherein said ropes are fastened to an anchor log or to a catenary in the depth and at least one recovery line of said ropes is attached to a floating buoy, characterised in that said buoy is retained below by a retaining line sliding on suitable guiding elements, remaining in the proximity of the bottom, up to a control unit provided on the quay where it can be locked, so as to normally keep said buoy in a submerged condition and to allow surfacing thereof only when the recovery lines of the mooring ropes have to be recovered therefrom.

2) Automatic system for the recovery of mooring ropes as in claim 1) , wherein said guiding element of the buoy-retaining line consists of at least two eyebolts attached to respective weights sunk in the depth.

3) Automatic system for recovering mooring ropes as in claim 2) , wherein said at least two weights sunk in the depth are arranged in the proximity of the quay and on the vertical of the craft bow in the conventional, initial mooring position thereof, respectively.

4) Automatic system for the recovery of mooring ropes as in claim 1) , wherein said control unit comprises a clam cleat device capable of keeping said buoy-retaining line locked in all positions, allowing pulling thereof in order to cause sinking of the buoy.

5)Automatic system for the recovery of mooring ropes as in claim 4) , wherein said control unit further comprises an automatic, possibly remote-controllable device to release the buoy-retaining line from the action of the clam cleat.

6) Automatic system for the recovery of mooring ropes as in claim 5) , wherein said device to release the buoy-retaining rope consists of a bridge lever, the bridge portion of the lever being arranged below the line path, immediately downstream of the clam cleat, and being capable of lifting said line, releasing it from the clam cleat, by causing said lever to rotate. 7) Automatic system for the recovery of mooring ropes as in claim 6) , wherein said control unit further comprises an electric motor capable of controlling a worm screw/nut-thread assembly for determining the rotation of said bridge lever, which is pivoted in said nut-thread, free to slide.

8) Automatic system for the recovery of mooring ropes as in claim 7) , wherein said control unit further comprises a radio- receiving unit and a processing unit, for remote-controlling said electric motor. 9) Automatic system for the recovery of mooring lines as in 7) or 8) , wherein said control unit comprises an electric supply unit connected to batteries or to the electric network.

10) Automatic system for the recovery of mooring ropes as in claims 7) to 9) , wherein the electric motor, the radio- receiving unit, the processing unit, and the supply unit are housed in a dry portion of said control unit .