WO2009004446A2

WO2009004446A2 - System for recovering a mooring line of a craft

Info

Publication number: WO2009004446A2
Application number: PCT/IB2008/001689
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giorgio Ramella Bagneri; Marco Isaia; William Gatti
Original assignee: Fondazione Torino Wireless
Priority date: 2007-06-29
Filing date: 2008-06-27
Publication date: 2009-01-08
Also published as: WO2009004446A3; ITTO20070472A1

Abstract

A system is described for recovering a mooring line (3) of a craft, comprising: - floating means (2) attached to said mooring line, - means for retaining and releasing said floating means, said retaining and releasing means being releasably attachable to said floating means, electronic control means (9) to control said retaining and releasing means configured to control the releasing of said floating means from said retainin and releasin means.

Description

SYSTEM FOR RECOVERING A MOORING LINE OF A CRAFT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a system for recovering a mooring line for a craft.

BACKGROUND ART

As is known, recreational craft are generally moored by arranging the craft with its stern to the quay and tying the ropes attached to the mooring bollards on the quay, to bitts positioned at the aft end of the craft .

Moreover, as is known, to prevent the craft from moving backwards or the possibility of it colliding with the quay or to prevent the bow of the craft from turning, an additional rope, known as a forward mooring rope, is used. This generally lies on the seabed and has one end attached to a specific mooring fixture anchored to the seabed by means of a retaining system. Once recovered, the forward mooring rope is tied to the bitt mounted on the bow of the craft, thus also securing the bow of the craft and enabling it to be moored safely.

If the craft is provided with a second bow bitt and a second forward mooring rope is also available, the second forward mooring rope can be fastened to the second bow bitt, parallel to the first, thus further increasing the safety of the mooring.

During mooring operations, the mooring lines must be recovered as quickly as possible to prevent the craft from "falling off" , that is to prevent the bow from turning, making mooring more difficult and dangerous, especially in windy conditions or when no other craft are moored close by against which the craft could lean.

In particular, the forward mooring rope is recovered by means of a rope called a recovery line, a first end of which is tied to one of the mooring bollards on the quay and a second end of which is attached to the forward mooring rope on the seabed. The forward mooring rope is generally recovered by one of the craft's crew members using a rod provided with a hook, known as boat-hook, to recover the recovery line.

The boat-hook is used to hook and pull the end of the recovery line that is above the surface of the water, in order to make the remainder of the recovery line emerge from the water and recover the forward mooring rope attached to the other end of the recovery line which can thus be tied to the bow bitt.

The speed with which this operation is performed is essential to prevent the bow from "falling off" causing the craft to turn and making it difficult to complete the mooring operations.

Therefore, to increase the safety of the craft and of the occupants thereof during mooring operations, the need is felt for a system that enables the recovery line and the forward mooring rope to be recovered as quickly as possible to prevent the craft from turning.

DISCLOSURE QF INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is to provide a system for recovering a mooring line for a craft, as set forth in the claims which are attached hereto .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to better understand the present invention, various non-limiting preferred embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate different embodiments of the system for recovering a mooring line for a craft, according to the invention;

• figures 4a-4d, 5a and 5b illustrate components of the system of the invention in greater detail,

• figure 6 illustrates the system of the invention before the mooring line is recovered; and

• figure 7 illustrates how a submerged mooring line is recovered for a craft using the system of the invention;

• figure 8 illustrates the system of the invention after the mooring line has been recovered.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As illustrated in figures 1, 2 and 3, the system for recovering a mooring line according to the present invention, regardless of the embodiment, essentially consists of:

- a floating body 2 to which a mooring line 3 to be recovered, for example a recovery line, is attached,

- a retaining and releasing device 4, releasably attachable to the floating body 2 and housed in a watertight casing 5,

- a sinker member 6 attached to the retaining and releasing device 4 of the floating body 2,

- an electronic control unit 7 to control the retaining and releasing device 4, provided with a receiver-transmitter device (not illustrated) and an antenna 8, and - a remote control device 9, from which a signal is sent to the electronic control unit 7 and on the basis of which the control unit 7 controls the releasing of the floating body 2 by the retaining device 4. In particular, in a first embodiment of the system illustrated in figure 1 and 5a, the electronic control unit 7 and the antenna 8 are arranged on a mooring quay 10, and the electronic control unit 7 is connected to the retaining and releasing device 4 by means of a cable 11 via which control signals are sent to the device 4 and via which current is supplied to the device 4.

In this embodiment, when the antenna 8 receives the signal from the remote control device 9, the electronic control unit 7 sends control signals via the cable 11 to the device 4 which, on the basis of said signals, releases the floating body 2 so that the latter can rise to the surface carrying with it the mooring line 3.

In a second embodiment of the system schematically illustrated in figures 2, 4a, 4c and 5b, the electronic control unit 7 is housed inside the watertight casing 5 with the device 4 and a storage cell (not illustrated) which powers both the electronic control unit 7 and the device 4, and is submerged with the device 4.

In this embodiment, the antenna 8 is preferably housed in the casing 5 and is configured to operate when submerged and transmit the signal from the remote control device 7 which controls the device 4 in order to release the floating body 2.

In a third embodiment of the system schematically illustrated in figure 3, the electronic control unit 7 and the antenna 8 are arranged on the mooring quay 10, and the electronic control unit 7 is connected to the retaining and releasing device 4 via the cable 11 which in this embodiment only has the function of supplying current to the device 4.

This embodiment envisages the use of a transmitter device 12, connected via cable to the control unit 7, which operates when submerged and transmits a wireless control signal to the device 4 when the control unit 7 receives from the antenna 8 the signal from the remote control device 9.

In this embodiment, the watertight casing 5 houses a receiver device (not illustrated) configured to receive the signal from the transmitter device 12 via which the device 4 is controlled in order to release the floating body 2.

In particular, as illustrated in figures 5a and 5b, in all three alternative embodiments of the system according to the invention the mooring line 3 consists of two parts, i.e.: a first portion 3a for attaching the floating body 2 to a mooring bollard 13 mounted on the quay 10 and a second portion 3b for attaching the floating body 2 to another line 14, for example a forward mooring rope which, as illustrated in figures 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8, has one end 15 attached to a mooring fixture 16 on the seabed.

Moreover, again with reference to figures 1, 2 and 3, in the system according to the invention the floating body 2 and the retaining and releasing device 4 are connected to one another by a recovery line 17 that is used to recover the device 4 when this is detached from the floating body 2 and lies on the seabed due to the weight of the sinker 5, in order to re-attach the device 4 to the floating body 2.

As illustrated in figures 4a - 4d, regardless of the embodiment of the system, the retaining and releasing device 4 can consist of either an electromagnet 4' or (figures 4a - 4c) a solenoid actuator 4" (figures 4b - 4d) . In the former case, again with reference to figures 4a, 4c, the floating body 2 and the device 4 are coupled to and released from one another by means of a retaining element 18, for example a metal disk, and the electromagnet 4'. For that purpose, one surface of the metal disk is attached to the base of the floating body 2 while the other, free surface of the metal disk is made to rest on a surface of the casing 5 of the device 4, so that the attractive force exerted by the electromagnet 4' (the polarity of which must be specifically selected for that purpose) maintains the floating body 2 permanently attached to the casing 5 of the retaining device 4.

To release the floating body 2 from the retaining device 4, the electromagnet 4' is supplied with a current such as to invert the direction of the force generated by the electromagnet 4' and repel the metal disk in order to release the floating body 2 from the device 4.

The floating body 2 and the device 4 can also clearly be coupled to and released from one another in the opposite way to that described above, i.e. by selecting an electromagnet 4' which generates the attractive force that retains the floating body 2, when supplied with current. In that case, the power supply to the electromagnet 4' must be interrupted in order to release the floating body 2 from the retaining and releasing device 4. In this case current must be supplied to the electromagnet 4' for as long as the floating body 2 must be connected to the retaining and releasing device 4.

If the retaining and releasing device 4 consists of a solenoid actuator 4" , the releasable attachment between the floating body 2 and the device 4 is achieved by means of a retaining element 18 , for example a metal disk, comprising a supporting member 19, for example a rod, a locking mechanism 20 housed inside the casing 5 and connectable to the supporting member 19, and the solenoid actuator 4".

The floating body is permanently attached to the device 4 when the supporting member 19 is made to engage with the locking mechanism 20, for example by inserting the rod through a ring that is part of the locking mechanism 20.

To release the floating body 2 from the retaining and releasing device 4, the solenoid actuator 4" must be powered for a predefined time in order to open the locking mechanism 20 so that the supporting member 19 is released by the latter and the floating body 2 is detached from the device 4 and can emerge. Figure 6 illustrates the system of the invention according to the first embodiment described herein, before the mooring lines 3 and 14 have been recovered. In particular, as illustrated in figure 6, when the craft 1 leaves its moorings, the floating body 2 and the retaining and releasing device 4, previously coupled as described above, are thrown into the sea, sink with the lines 3 and 14 thanks to their overall weight and remain on the seabed until the floating body 2 is released from the retaining device 4.

The lines 3 and 14 sink rapidly. This considerably reduces the risk of the mooring lines becoming wrapped around the axis of the propeller and enables the propeller of the craft to be activated as soon as the craft has left its moorings.

Figure 7 illustrates how a mooring line for a craft is recovered using the system of the invention according to the first embodiment described herein. In particular, as soon as the craft is aligned for mooring at a suitable distance for recovering the lines 3 and 14, the remote control device 9 is activated and sends the control signal to the control unit 7 to release the floating body 2 from the retaining device 4. The control unit 7 receives the control signal via the antenna 8 and transmits the control signal for the releasing device 4 via the cable 10. The control signal activates the releasing device 4 (which consists of an electromagnet or a solenoid actuator as described previously) which releases the floating body 2 that, once free, floats to the surface of the sea bringing with it the lines 3 and 14 and carrying the recovery line 17. The phase in which the lines 3 , 14 and 7 rise to the surface is illustrated in figure 7 by the dashed lines 3a' and 3b' , 14' and 7' .

Once it has been recovered, the line 14 can be fastened to the bitt positioned in the bow of the craft.

Figure 8 illustrates the system of the invention according to the first embodiment described herein, after the mooring lines 3 and 14 have been recovered and the craft has been moored.

In particular, after fastening the line 14 to the bow bitt of the craft the crew recover the aft mooring lines and attach these to the respective bitts . After completing the operations to moor the craft 1, the crew recover the retaining and releasing device 4 using the recovery line 17. The retaining and releasing device 4 is brought on-board the craft and is attached to the floating body 2 again ready to be used again. Lastly, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made to the system for recovering a mooring line for a craft described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope of the present invention, as set forth in the appended claims .

The system of the invention may, for example, be applied in a similar way to that described above, to recover the aft mooring lines of the craft, so as to allow the lines to be recovered when the craft is still some distance from the quay.

In that case the system of the invention envisages the use of at least: a further floating body, a further retaining and releasing device, a further sinker member and a further recovery line.

The electronic control unit must in that case be configured to control both the retaining and releasing device connected to the bow line, and the retaining and releasing device connected to the aft line.

Otherwise the remote control device 9 could be replaced with a fixed control, for example a pushbutton, integrated directly in the instrument panel on-board the craft .

Claims

C L A I M S

1. System for recovering a mooring line (3, 14) of a craft (1) , comprising:

- floating means (2) attached to said mooring line (3),

- means (4) for retaining and releasing said floating means (2) , said retaining and releasing means (4) being releasably attachable to said floating means (2) , - electronic control means (7) to control said retaining and releasing means (4) configured to control (4) the releasing of said floating means (2) from said retaining and releasing means (4) .

2. System according to claim 1, also comprising: - sinking means (6) for sinking said floating means (2) , said mooring line (3) and said retaining and releasing means (4) ;

- first transmission means (9) configured to transmit a control signal to said electronic control means (7) to control said releasing of said floating means (2) by said retaining and releasing means (4) ; receiving means (8) connected to said electronic control means (7) and configured to receive said control signal from said first transmission means (9) ;

- watertight containing means (5) configured to contain said means (4) for retaining and releasing said floating means (2) .

3. System according to claim 2, also comprising: first means for supplying power to said electronic control means (7) and said retaining and releasing means (4) ; and - second transmission means (11) connected to said electronic control means (7) and to said retaining and releasing means (4) ; said second transmission means (11) being configured to transmit said control signal and a first power supply signal to said retaining and releasing means (4) , and wherein said electronic control means (7) , said receiving means (8) and said first power supply means are housed in the vicinity of a mooring quay (10) of said craft outside a floating surface of said craft (1) .

4. System according to claim 3 , wherein said second transmission means (11) comprise a cable to transmit said control signal and said first power supply signal, said cable being partially or completely submerged below said floating surface.

5. System according to claim 2, comprising second means for supplying power to said electronic control means (7) and said retaining and releasing means (4) ; wherein: - said second power supply means and said electronic control means (7) are housed inside said watertight containing means (5) ; and

- said receiving means (8) are housed inside or outside said watertight containing means (5) .

6. System according to claim 2, comprising: third means for supplying power to said electronic control means (7) and said retaining and releasing means (4) ; and

- third transmission means (11) connected to said third power supply means and said retaining and releasing means (4) and configured to transmit a second power supply signal to said retaining and releasing means (4) ; and fourth wireless transmission means (11) connected to said electronic control means (7) and configured to transmit said control signal to said retaining and releasing means (4) ; wherein said electronic control means (7) , said receiving means (8) and said power supply means are housed in the vicinity of a mooring quay (10) of said craft outside a floating surface of said craft.

7. System according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said floating means (2) comprise at least one supporting member (18,19) configured to connect said floating means (2) to said retaining and releasing means (4) ; and wherein said retaining and releasing means (4) comprise at least one of: - an electromagnet (4') configured to retain and release said supporting member (18,19); or solenoid actuating means (4") connected to locking means (20) of said supporting member (18,19) and configured to release said supporting member (18,19) from said locking means (20).