WO2010007554A2

WO2010007554A2 - Multi -hull work boat

Info

Publication number: WO2010007554A2
Application number: PCT/IB2009/052911
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paolo Pizzi
Original assignee: Acca2O Di Pizzi Paolo
Priority date: 2008-07-16
Filing date: 2009-07-03
Publication date: 2010-01-21
Also published as: ITBS20080137A1; WO2010007554A3; IT1397319B1; EP2313309A2

Abstract

A multi-hull work boat comprising at least a first and a second hull (2a, 2b) mutually parallel and connected by a linking deck (3), wherein each hull comprises a tank (12) for a liquid (10) and the tanks (12) are in fluid communication with each other; propeller means (4), exclusively screw propeller means, for giving propeller thrust for navigation of the boat; and a distribution system (11) for said liquid (10) between the tanks (12) of the hulls (2a, 2b).

Description

"MULTI-HULL WORK BOAT" DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a multi-hull work boat.

In particular, the present invention relates to a boat equipped with at least two hulls, such as for instance catamarans or trimarans, with screw propulsion only, i.e. without sail masts. In this context, the following specification will refer exclusively to multi-hull boats with screw propulsion only, used to working purposes, in particular for loading/unloading onto/from boats in water and for onshore operations. However, these boats can also be suitable for passenger or freight transport. Generally speaking, multi-hull boats consist of two or more floating hulls, mutually parallel and at a certain mutual distance, suitably connected to each other on their respective top by a linking deck or deck. Multi-hull work boats have a driving cab on the deck, e.g. in correspondence to a first hull, and a series of work tools differing as a function of the operations which the boat has to carry out and placed in one or more deck areas.

For instance, a crane with an extensible boom, for freight loading and unloading, can be arranged beside the driving cab and above a second hull.

However, the presence of the work boom, though being able to perform many load handling operations, causes a serious drawback.

As a matter of fact, weight variation due to load handling by the crane unbalances the whole boat, which tilts with respect to a reference horizontal plane.

Under these circumstances, it should be noted that the second hull located below the work boom dives more than the other hull. In other words, the underwater body of the second hull is greater than the one of the first hull.

This drawback also occurs when the load is laid onto the boat deck on one of the two hulls. As a matter of fact, under these circumstances, the load weight makes the whole boat tilt on the load supporting hull.

One of the technical tasks underlying the present invention consists in proposing a multi-hull work boat which overcomes the above mentioned prior-art drawbacks.

In particular, an aim of the present invention consists in providing a multi-hull work boat which can always stay in a balanced condition even in case the work boom has to support heavy loads. The technical task and the aims referred to can be basically achieved by a multi-hull boat comprising the technical features disclosed in one or more of the appended claims. In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for supplying white water comprising the technical features disclosed in one or more of the appended claims.

In still another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for supplying boats with white water, the method making use of the multi-hull boat according to any one of the appended claims and/or according to any one of the embodiments described here, and comprising the steps of introducing white water, e.g. drinking water, into the tank of each hull of the multi-hull boat, moving the multi-hull boat closer to a boat to be supplied placed outside a port quay, delivering the aforesaid white water to the aforesaid boat to be supplied.

In one aspect, the aforesaid step of delivering the aforesaid white water to the aforesaid boat to be supplied includes the step of delivering white water from the tank of one of the two hulls into a tank of the boat in water.

In one aspect, the step of delivering the aforesaid white water includes the use of a supply conduit which can be extended together with a work boom placed on the boat deck, preferably arranging, by shifting the boom, a supply outlet of the supply conduit on an inlet of said tank of said boat in water, the delivery of white water being carried out through the supply conduit. In one aspect, the aforesaid methods are business methods.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear better from the indicative and therefore non-limiting description of some embodiments, including a preferred, though not exclusive embodiment, of the multi-hull work boat and of the corresponding supply method, thanks to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a multi-hull work boat according to the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a perspective rear view of the multi-hull boat of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3 is a schematic view in rear elevation of the, hulls of the boat of Figure 1 , some parts being removed for better showing other parts;

- Figure 4 is a schematic view in lateral elevation of a hull of the boat of Figure 1 , some parts being removed for better showing other parts.

With reference to the accompanying figures, a multi-hull work boat according to the invention is globally referred to with numeral 1.

In particular, the present invention relates to a boat 1 , generally referred to as a catamaran, provided with two hulls 2a, 2b and being exclusively motor propelled.

As can be better seen in Figures 1 and 2, the boat 1 comprises a first and a second hull 2a, 2b, mutually parallel and connected to a deck 3 defining the connecting structure between the hulls 2a, 2b.

The boat 1 further has propeller means 4 for giving propeller thrust for navigation of the boat, these pro- peller means 4 being exclusively screw propeller means.

In particular, as can be better seen in Figure 2, each hull 2a, 2b is provided in the bottom and rear portions with a propeller 4a suitably connected to a motor, not shown and not described because of known type in the technical field.

A driving cab 5 develops above the deck 3 and is suitably connected to the screw propeller means 4 for steering the boat. Preferably, as can be better seen in Figure 1 , the driving cab 5 is placed on the side and in particular above the second hull 2b.

A work boom 6 advantageously develops above the deck 3 and is preferably apt to load/unload loads onto/from the deck 3 of the boat 1.

The work boom 6 is advantageously arranged on the first hull 2a, on the opposite side with respect to the cab 5, and is preferably made up of a jib-crane 7, schematically shown in the accompanying figures. The jib-crane 7 can be preferably used for supporting loads and can rotate around a respective vertical axis for shifting these loads from an area outside the boat to the deck 3 and vice versa. The jib-crane 7 can be telescopic and/or jointed.

The jib-crane 7 is advantageously connected to a supply conduit 8 for a liquid 10, extending along the whole longitudinal development of the jib-crane 7.

In further detail, the supply conduit 8, which can develop - wholly or partly - inside or outside the jib- crane 7, has a first suction end 8a arranged inside the first hull 2a (more specifically inside the respective tank 12, see below) and a second supply end 8b, opposed to the first one 8a, provided with a supply outlet 9 for the liquid 10, through which the liquid is delivered outside. At least another hydraulic pump (not shown) is associated with the supply conduit 8 for delivering the liquid 10 outside or loading it towards the tanks 12. Preferably, two hydraulic pumps (not shown) are associated to the supply conduit 8 by means of a tee-piece, for delivering or loading the liquid 10, each pump sucking from the tank of a respective hull.

Each hull 2a, 2b is hollow inside and has at least one tank 12 apt to contain the above liquid 10. In the example shown, each hull 2a, 2b contains a series of compartments 12 in mutual hydraulic communication, e.g. by means of a passage for the liquid 10 in the lower portion of each partition wall, so that the plurality of compartments 12 of each hull indeed builds one liquid tank divided into compartments. Typically, each compartment 12 is separated from the walls making up the respective hull by means of an air gap, so as to create a watertight chamber.

The boat 1 further comprises a distribution system 11 for the liquid 10 between the two hulls 2a, 2b. More particularly, referring to Figure 3, the distribution system 11 comprises a linking conduit 13 be- tween the tanks 12 of the hulls 2a, 2b, which puts in fluid communication the tanks 12 of the hulls 2a, 2b with each other. In particular, this linking conduit 13 sucks from a compartment 12 of the hulls 2a, 2b, respectively, the other respective compartments 12 being like communicating vessels, as mentioned above.

A feeding pump 14 develops along the connecting conduit 13 and is apt to convey controlled amounts of liquid 10 from one hull to the other.

In other words, the pump 14 can draw a given amount of liquid 10 from the above mentioned tank 12 of one of the hulls 2a, 2b for conveying this amount into the tank 12 of the other hull, thus changing the distribution of the liquid 10 between the two hulls 2a, 2b, e.g. when delivering the liquid 10 for filling up the tank 12 of the hull from which the liquid is directly drawn, and/or for re-balancing load distribution in the whole boat 1.

A respective level sensor 15 develops inside at least one compartment 12 of the tank of each hull 2a, 2b and is apt to sense the level of the liquid 10 inside the tank of each hull 2a, 2b. Various types of level sensors 15 are known at present (comprising e.g. a graduated rod on which a floating body slides). Thus, the pump 14 is actuated and adjusted for the distribution of the liquid 10 as a function of the signals S1 generated by the sensors 15 and corresponding to the amount of liquid in each hull 2a, 2b (Figure 3).

For instance, each of the two signals S1 can control a respective level indicator for the liquid 10 and the operator, on the basis of the information displayed by the two level indicators, can decide whether and when to actuate the pump 14 manually.

Advantageously, the actuation of the pump 14 can also occur by means of an electronic processing unit 17, which too is shown schematically, operatively connected to the pump 14. For instance, the electronic unit 17 can be associated with the level sensors 15 for receiving the above signals S1 corresponding to the amount of liquid 10 in each hull 2a, 2b and for actuating the motor depending upon these signals for re-distributing the liquid.

Moreover, the boat 1 can have a sensing device 16 for the angular position of the boat 1 with respect to a reference horizontal plane. This sensing device 16, schematically shown in Figure 3, detects the average rake of the boat 1 in space for evaluating the respective balance between the hulls 2a, 2b. The pump 14 can therefore be actuated also as a function of a signal S2 generated by the device 16 and corresponding to the average rake of the boat 1 with respect to the reference horizontal plane. Advantageously, the electronic unit 17 can be connected to the sensing device 16 for receiving the above signal S2 corresponding to the rake of the boat 1 with respect to the reference horizontal plane. As a function of the signal S1 and/or S2 the unit 17 actuates the pump 14 delivering given amounts of liquid 10 into each hull 2a, 2b, by shifting controlled amounts of liquid from one hull 2a to the other 2b. Advantageously, the given amounts of liquid 10 in each hull 2a, 2b balance the weight of the boat 1 and keep it in a basically parallel trim with respect to the reference horizontal plane. Advantageously, when the jib-crane 7 lifts a load and places it onto the deck 3, the load weight causes the boat 1 to tilt with respect to the reference horizontal plane. The electronic unit 17 receives the signal S2 from the sensing device 16 and actuates the pump 14 for re-distributing the liquid 10 in the hulls 2a, 2b and re-balancing the trim and the load distribution on the boat.

As a result, the boat 1 is always in a balanced condition thanks to the re-distribution of the liquid 10 in the hulls 2a, 2b.

Advantageously, the liquid 10 can consist of white water, i.e. soft and clean water, preferably drinking water. Therefore, by means of the supply conduit 8 which can be extended with the boom 6, white water can be distributed to boats in water. In other words, the boat 1 described above can be used for supplying boats with white water also outside port quays, e.g. open-moored boats. The distribution of white water is carried out by moving the multi-hull work boat 1 of the described type closer to the boat to be supplied.

Then, by shifting the boom 6 the supply outlet 9 of the supply conduit 8 is placed at an inlet of the water tank of the boat to be supplied.

Now the liquid 10 is delivered from at least one of the hulls 2a, 2b, through the supply conduit 8, into the tank of the steering boat.

Under these circumstances, the pump 14 re-distributes the liquid 10 in the hulls 2a, 2b pouring the liquid from the hull 2a or 2b, from which it is not drawn directly for the supply, to the hull from which, conversely, the liquid is drawn directly.

Advantageously, the multi-hull boat 1 can also be used as a boat for supplying white water. Advantageously, the boat 1 further comprises another hydraulic system for collecting and conveying sewage (not shown in the figures), separated from the hydraulic system for white water as described above. Sewage means waste water, such as from toilets. The hydraulic system for sewage comprises a tank (typically a PVC box) arranged on the deck 3 (typically flanged thereto so as to be removable) and provided with a suction pump in the tank. Advantageously, the work boom 6 comprises another conduit in fluid communication with the sewage tank, wholly similar to the supply conduit 8. During use, the free outlet of the sewage conduit is introduced into a sewage box on board the boat in water for which it is needed, and the suction pump is actuated.

Claims

1. A multi-hull work boat (1) comprising:

- at least a first and a second hull (2a, 2b) mutually parallel and connected by a linking deck (3); and

- propeller means (4) for giving propeller thrust for navigation of the boat, said propeller means (4) being exclusively screw propeller means; characterized by the fact that each hull (2a, 2b) comprises a tank (12) for a liquid (10) and that the boat further comprises a distribution system (11) of said liquid (10) among said tanks (12) of the hulls (2a, 2b); said tanks (12) of the hulls (2a, 2b) being mutually fluid communicating for allowing said system (11) to distribute said liquid among said tanks (12).

2. The boat in accordance to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that said distribution system (11) comprises a linking conduit (13) among said tanks (12) of the hulls (2a, 2b) and a feeding pump (14) placed along said conduit (13) for transferring said liquid (10) from a hull to the other and vice versa (2a, 2b).

3. The boat in accordance to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that said distribution system (11) further comprises a level sensor (15) housed inside the tank (12) of each hull (2a, 2b) for sensing the liquid level (10) in the respective tank (12) and generating a respective signal (S1) corresponding to the amount of liquid (10) in the respective hull (2a, 2b); said pump (14) being able to be driven depending upon said signals (S1).

4. The boat of claim 2 or 3, characterized by the fact that it further comprises a device (16) for sensing the angular position of the boat (1) with respect to a reference horizontal plane; said pump (14) being able to be driven depending upon a signal (S2) generated by said device (16) and corresponding to a slope of the boat (1) with respect to said reference horizontal plane.

5. The boat of claim 3 or 4, characterized by the fact that it further comprises an electronic processing unit (17) operatively coupled to said pump (14), and to said level sensors (15) and/or to said sensing device (15), for receiving said signals (SI₁ S2) corresponding respectively to the amount of liquid (10) in each hull (2a, 2b) and/or to the slope of the boat (1) with respect to the reference horizontal plane and for driving the pump (14) for placing determined amounts of liquid (10) inside each hull (2a, 2b); said determined amounts of liquid (10) inside each hull (2a, 2b) being apt to balance the weight distribution of the boat (1).

6. The boat in accordance to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least a work arm (6) placed onto the deck (3) of the boat.

7. The boat of claim 6, characterized by the fact that said work arm (6) comprises a jib-crane (7), and a supplying conduit (8) of the liquid (10) extending along all the jib-crane (7) and having a first suction end (8a) placed inside the tank (12) of one of said hulls (2a, 2b) and a second supply end (8b) opposed to the first (8a) and furnished of an outlet (9) for supplying the liquid (10) to outside of the boat.

8. The boat in accordance to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises said liquid (10) inside said tanks (12), said liquid (10) consisting in white water (10).

9. Method for supplying with white water a boat in water, characterized by the fact that it comprises the steps of:

- approaching said boat in water with the multi-hull work boat (1) of claim 8;

- supplying with the white water (10) a tank of said boat in water from the tank (12) of a first hull (2a) out of said hulls (2a, 2b;

- transferring, via said distribution system (11), the white water (10) from the tank (12) of a second tank (2b) out of said hulls (2a, 2b) to the tank (12) of said first hull (2a) out of said hulls (2a, 2b).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said multi-hull work boat (1) is in accordance to claims 7 and 8, the method further comprising the step of placing the supplying outlet (9) of the supplying conduit (8) at an inlet of said tank of said tank of said boat in water, the white water supply (10) being made via the supplying conduit (8).