WO2014062065A1

WO2014062065A1 - Lifting apparatus for attaching a lifting sling to a life boat, a lifeboat and a method

Info

Publication number: WO2014062065A1
Application number: PCT/NO2013/050173
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hendrik MOSTERT; Kay Richard LØNNER
Original assignee: Norsafe As
Priority date: 2012-10-17
Filing date: 2013-10-16
Publication date: 2014-04-24
Also published as: NO336650B1; NO20121208A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for attaching a life boat to a lifting sling (1) The invention comprises a first attachment element (5a) and a second attachment element (5b) opposing the first attachment element; a first guiding foundation (7) fixed to the first attachment element (5a), wherein the first guiding foundation (7) includes a first guiding area (17) for guiding the lifting sling (1) in a direction away from the first attachment element (5a) and a first receiving recess(14); a second guiding foundation (8) fixed to the second attachment element (5b), wherein the second guiding foundation (8) includes a second guiding area (18) for guiding the lifting sling (1) in a direction away from the second attachment element (5b) and a second receiving recess (13); a lifting sling latch member (9) pivoted to the second guiding foundation for allowing the latch member to pivot between a first position wherein the latch member (9) is seated in the first receiving recess (14) and in the second receiving recess (13), and a second position away from the first guiding foundation (7), whereby said lifting sling (1) may be attached to the apparatus in said first position of said lifting sling latch member (9) and released from the apparatus when the lifting sling is unloaded in said second position of said lifting sling latch member (9). A lifeboat and a method is also described.

Description

Lifting apparatus for attaching a lifting sling to a life boat, a lifeboat and a method

The present invention relates to a single point lifting attachment and a release mechanism for a single point lifting sling, in particular for lifting lifeboats. In particular, the invention relates to a life boat attachment apparatus, a lifeboat, a sling receiver and a method for attaching a lifting sling to a life boat. The invention may be equally applicable to recue vessels that are lifted or launched on land or onto a mother vessel.

When lifting lifeboats, it is common to use some kind of lifting hook on a wire attached to a winch. The hook is hooked onto a suitable shackle, lifting eye or lifting lug on the life boat. Commonly, two wires and two attachment points are used to prevent rotation of the life boat in a horizontal plane when the lifeboat is lifted.

There are however examples of single point lifting of lifeboats as for instance shown in US 4,522, 144, describing single point lifting of a free falling life boat.

Free fall life boats are usually lifted to a launch ramp or some sort of releasing mechanism with a winch attached to an installation or a vessel requiring life boats. Typical examples of such installations or vessels are oil and gas related offshore platforms, seagoing vessels, etc. Life boats are typically also launched with the winch for training and maintenance purposes.

There are several handling and safety issues during the above mentioned lifting and launching operations, as the attachment and release of the boat from the wire must be made from the boat, possibly in rough sea. The boat may be a boat with more than 10 tons empty weight, and such boats require heavy lifting gear that can gain considerable momentum, and that is potentially threatening for personnel and equipment. Furthermore, the process of releasing and attaching hooks has often required a person on the deck of the boat for operating a release mechanism or for attaching the hook. Such a person is exposed to the potential hazard of a swinging hook, while attempting to operate a tentatively failsafe mechanism on the hook. [0001] It is a purpose with the present invention to provide a safer and simpler attachment mechanism for attaching a lifting sling to a boat, and a system with a lifting sling, a life boat attachment apparatus and a boat. The present invention relates to a life boat attachment apparatus. The apparatus includes lifting sling receiver for receiving the sling. The lifting sling is a sling commonly used for lifting purposes, typically made of a braided synthetic rope or a synthetic band. The lifting sling is typically connected to a lifting block on a crane/winch with a hook or shackle. The present invention requires that the sling forms a loop at the end for attachment to the life boat.

The present invention includes an apparatus for attaching a life boat to a lifting sling. The apparatus comprises a first attachment element and a second attachment element opposing the first attachment element. The first and the second attachment element may be one integrated part with an opening for alignment of a deck slot. A first guiding foundation is fixed to the first attachment element, wherein the first guiding foundation includes a first guiding area for guiding the lifting sling in a direction away from the first attachment element and a first receiving recess. A second guiding foundation is fixed to the second attachment element. The second guiding foundation includes a second guiding area for guiding the lifting sling in a direction away from the second attachment element and a second receiving recess. A lifting sling latch member is pivoted to the second guiding foundation for allowing the latch member to pivot between a first position wherein the latch member is seated in the first receiving recess and in the second receiving recess, and a second position away from the first guiding foundation, whereby said lifting sling may be attached to the apparatus in said first position of said lifting sling latch member and released from the apparatus when the lifting sling is unloaded in said second position of said lifting sling latch member.

The apparatus may further include a biasing element, biasing said lifting sling latch member towards said first position seated in the first receiving recess and in the second receiving recess.

The apparatus may further include an attachment portion for attaching an actuating element to said lifting sling latch member and for actuating said lifting sling latch member against a force imposed by the biasing element towards said second position away from said first guiding foundation, whereby said lifting sling may be released from the apparatus in said second position of said lifting sling latch member.

The actuating element may be a handle.

The biasing element may include a gas cylinder pivotally attached in an attachment bracket in a fixed relationship with the second attachment element and in a biasing arm in a fixed relationship with the lifting sling latch member.

A hinge shaft may pivotally attach the lifting sling latch member to said second guiding foundation.

The second guiding foundation may be adapted to unload the hinge shaft when the latch member is seated in the second receiving recess.

The invention furthermore includes a lifeboat with a deck with an inside surface and an outside surface and with deck slot providing an opening in the deck, at least one deck reinforcement on the inside of the deck, a first attachment element and a second attachment element fixed to the at least one deck reinforcement on the inside of the deck. A first guiding foundation is fixed to the first attachment element. The first guiding foundation includes a first guiding area for guiding a lifting sling in a direction away from the first attachment element and a first lifting sling latch member receiving recess. A second guiding foundation is fixed to the second attachment element. The second guiding foundation includes a second guiding area for guiding the lifting sling in a direction away from the second attachment element and a second lifting sling latch member receiving recess. A lifting sling latch member is pivoted to the second guiding foundation for allowing the latch member to pivot between a first position wherein the latch member is seated in the first lifting sling latch member receiving recess and in the second receiving recess, and a second position away from the first guiding foundation. The lifting sling may be attached to the apparatus in said first position of said lifting sling latch member and released from the apparatus when the lifting sling is unloaded in said second position of said lifting sling latch member.

The deck slot may include a longitudinal guiding funnel for facilitating threading the lifting sling through the deck slot. The lifting sling latch member may further include an attachment portion for attaching an actuating element and for actuating said lifting sling latch member from an inside of said lifeboat against a force imposed by a biasing element towards said second position away from said first guiding foundation, whereby said lifting sling may be released in said second position of said lifting sling latch member.

The invention furthermore includes a method for attaching a lifting sling to a life boat with an apparatus described above, the method including lowering the lifting sling with a guide line attached to the lifting sling, partly towards the life boat, threading the guide line through at least deck slot, pulling the guide line through the deck slot, to thereby pull the lifting sling through said deck slot, actuating said lifting sling latch member to the released position, threading said lifting sling over said lifting sling latch member, and releasing said lifting sling latch member.

Furthermore, the invention includes a lifting system including a lifeboat with an apparatus as described above, and a lifting sling attached to a lifting block.

Short description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the enclosed figures:

Fig. 1 is a cross section of a free fall life boat deck with a perspective view of a life boat attachment apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a second perspective view from below/inside the free fall life boat of the life boat attachment apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 3 corresponds to fig. 2, showing the apparatus in greater detail;

Fig. 4 is cross section of a deck of a life boat, showing how the apparatus of the invention is installed inside a free fall life boat; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a free fall life boat with a life boat attachment apparatus according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 is a cross section of a free fall life boat deck 2 with a perspective view of a life boat attachment apparatus according to the invention. The apparatus may release a lifting sling 2 when the lifting sling is unloaded. It is not possible to inadvertently release the lifting sling 2 from the apparatus when the lifting sling is under load. The life boat attachment apparatus is preferably used for single point lifting. The assembly of the invention may also be used to lift light rescue vessels onto a mother vessel.

The life boat includes a deck 2 with deck reinforcements 4 on each side of a deck slot 3, providing an opening through the deck 2. A first attachment element 5a and a second attachment element 5b opposing the first attachment element are attached to the deck reinforcements 4. Two deck reinforcements 4 are shown, and one attachment element is attached to each of the deck reinforcements 4. A first guiding foundation 7 is fixed to the first attachment element 5a. The first guiding foundation 7 includes a first guiding area for guiding the lifting sling 1 in a direction away from the first attachment element and towards the center of the deck slot 3. The first guiding foundation 7 includes a first receiving recess for receiving a lifting sling latch member. A second guiding foundation 8 is fixed to the second attachment element 5b, opposed the first guiding foundation 7. The second guiding foundation 8 includes a second guiding area for guiding the lifting sling 1 in a direction away from the second attachment element 5b and towards the center of the deck slot 3. The lifting sling latch member 9 is pivoted to the second guiding foundation 8 for allowing the latch member 9 to pivot between a first position wherein the latch member 9 is seated in the first receiving recess and in the second receiving recess, and a second position away from the first guiding foundation 7. The lifting sling 2 is attached to the apparatus in position of the lifting sling latch member 9 shown on fig. 1. A released position for the lifting sling latch member 9 is not shown. Fig. 1 furthermore shows a biasing element in the form of a gas spring biased towards an extended position.

Fig. 2 is a second perspective view from below/inside the free fall life boat of the life boat attachment apparatus according to the invention. The inside surface of the deck 2 is shown with the deck reinforcements 4 at each side of the deck slot 3. Fig. 2 also shows a closed position of the apparatus with a lifting sling 1 extending through the deck slot 3 to the apparatus on the inside of the life boat, below the deck 2. The first guiding foundation 7, the second guiding foundation 8 and the latch member 9 extending between the foundations 7, 8 form the primary holding elements for the lifting sling 2, and the lifting sling 2 is centered on the latch member 9 and the deck slot 3 by the guiding foundations. The biasing gas spring 6 holds the latch member 9 in a normally closed position. Fig. 3 corresponds to fig. 2, and shows the apparatus in greater detail. Similarly with fig. 1 and fig. 2, fig. 3 shows the closed position of the apparatus where the lifting sling 2 surrounds the latch member 9. The latch member 9 is seated in a first receiving recess 14 and a second receiving recess 13 in the first guiding foundation 7 and the second guiding foundation 8 respectively. The Receiving recesses 13, 14 are typically U-shaped and the latch member 9 is typically cylindrical. The elements are typically manufactured with tolerances sufficient to distribute the forces between the components without risking jamming. The first and the second guiding foundations 7, 8 includes a first and a second guiding area 17, 18 respectively, to guide the lifting sling 2 towards the center between the guiding foundations 7, 8 of the deck slot 3. The first and second guiding areas are located at the end of the guiding foundations opposing the attachment elements and may be formed as frustums, as half spheres, with concave surfaces or any other suitable guiding shape that will center the lifting sling 2.

The biasing gas spring 6 is pivotally attached between a bracket 16 on the second attachment element 5b and a biasing arm 12 on the latch member 9 for biasing the latch member 9 towards a closed position. The latch member 9 is pivoted in the hinge shaft 10 secured to the attachment element through hinge ears 1 1. A contact portion 20 for contact with the lifting sling 2 on the latch member 9 may be cylindrical or concave. An attachment 19 for an actuating element is located on the latch member 9 on a side opposite the hinge shaft 10. The actuating element may be in the form of a suitable handle, a wire for remote actuation, may be connected to some sort of powered actuator etc.

The hinge shaft 10 is unloaded by the second guiding foundation 8 when the latch member is in the closed position as the hinge shaft not is dimensioned carry the load of the life boat.

Fig. 4 shows a cross section of a life boat with an apparatus according to the invention. A lid 21 is shown in a closed position to illustrate the lid 21 . The lid can however clearly not be closed when the lifting sling 1 is attached to the apparatus. The deck 2 includes a deck slot 3 with longitudinal guiding funnel shaped edges 22 a first guiding foundation 7 with a first hemispherical guiding area 17, a second guiding foundation 8 with a second hemispherical guiding area 18, a biasing arm 12, a biasing gas spring 6, and a biasing element bracket 16.

Fig. 5 shows a lifeboat 24 with a deck 2 and an apparatus according to the invention hanging from a lifting sling 1 secured to a lifting block 23 in a crane or winch. A lid 21 is shown in an open position for exposing the lifting apparatus. The slot in the deck is dimensioned to allow an inclined position of the lifeboat when it is lifted.

Lifting sling

Boat deck

Deck slot

Deck reinforcements

Attachment elements

Biassing element

First guiding foundation second guiding foundation

Latch member

Hinge shaft

Hinge eare

Biassing arm

Second receiving recess

First receiving recess

Support portion

Bracket for biassing element

First guiding area

Second guiding area

Attachment for actuating element

Contact portion on the latch member

Lid for deck slot

Guiding funnel

Lifting block

Life boat.

Claims

1 . An apparatus for attaching a life boat to a lifting sling (1 ) comprising:

a first attachment element (5a) and a second attachment element (5b) opposing the first attachment element;

a first guiding foundation (7) fixed to the first attachment element (5a), wherein the first guiding foundation (7) includes a first guiding area (17) for guiding the lifting sling (1 ) in a direction away from the first attachment element (5a) and a first receiving recess (14);

a second guiding foundation (8) fixed to the second attachment element

(5b), wherein the second guiding foundation (8) includes a second guiding area (18) for guiding the lifting sling (1 ) in a direction away from the second attachment element (5b) and a second receiving recess (13);

a lifting sling latch member (9) pivoted to the second guiding foundation, allowing the latch member to pivot between a first position wherein the latch member (9) is seated in the first receiving recess (14) and in the second receiving recess (13), and a second position away from the first guiding foundation (7), whereby said lifting sling (1 ) may be attached to the apparatus in said first position of said lifting sling latch member (9) and released from the apparatus when the lifting sling is unloaded in said second position of said lifting sling latch member (9).

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing element, biasing said lifting sling latch member (9) towards said first position seated in the first receiving recess (14) and in the second receiving recess (13).

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an attachment portion (19) for attaching an actuating element to said lifting sling latch member (9) and for actuating said lifting sling latch member (9) against a force imposed by the biasing element towards said second position away from said first guiding foundation (7), whereby said lifting sling (1 ) may be released from the apparatus in said second position of said lifting sling latch member (9).

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the actuating element is a handle.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said biasing element includes a gas cylinder (6) pivotally attached in an attachment bracket (16) in a fixed relationship with the second attachment element (5b) and in a biasing arm (12) in a fixed relationship with the lifting sling latch member (9).

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a hinge shaft (10) pivotally attaches said lifting sling latch member (9) to said second guiding foundation (8).

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said second guiding foundation (8) is adapted to unload the hinge shaft (10) when the latch member (9) is seated in the second receiving recess (13).

8. A lifeboat (24) with a deck (2) with an inside surface and an outside surface with a deck slot (3) providing an opening in the deck (2), at least one deck reinforcement (4) on the inside of the deck, a first attachment element (5a) and a second attachment element (5b) fixed to the at least one deck reinforcement (4) on the inside of the deck;

a first lifting sling latch member guiding foundation (7) fixed to the first attachment element (5a), wherein the first guiding foundation (7) includes a first guiding area (17) for guiding a lifting sling (1 ) in a direction away from the first attachment element (5a) and a first receiving recess (14);

a second lifting sling latch member guiding foundation (8) fixed to the second attachment element (5b), wherein the second guiding foundation (8) includes a second guiding area (18) for guiding the lifting sling (1 ) in a direction away from the second attachment element (5b) and a second receiving recess (13);

a lifting sling latch member (9) pivoted to the second lifting sling latch member guiding foundation for allowing the latch member to pivot between a first position wherein the latch member (9) is seated in the first lifting sling latch member receiving recess (14) and in the second lifting sling latch member receiving recess (13), and a second position away from the first guiding foundation (7), whereby said lifting sling (1 ) may be attached to the lifeboat in said first position of said lifting sling latch member (9) and released from the lifeboat when the lifting sling is unloaded in said second position of said lifting sling latch member (9).

9. The lifeboat (24) according to claim 8, wherein the deck slot (3) includes a longitudinal guiding funnel (22) facilitating threading the lifting sling (1 ) through the deck slot (3).

10. The lifeboat (24) according to claim 8, further comprising an attachment portion (19) for attaching an actuating element to said lifting sling latch member (9) and for actuating said lifting sling latch member (9) from an inside of said lifeboat against a force imposed by a biasing element towards said second position away from said first guiding foundation (7), whereby said lifting sling (1 ) may be released in said second position of said lifting sling latch member (9).

1 1 . A method for attaching a lifting sling to a life boat (24) with an apparatus of claim 1 comprising:

lowering lifting sling (1 ) with a guide line attached to the lifting sling (1 ), partly towards the life boat (24);

threading the guide line through at least deck slot (3);

pulling the guide line through the deck slot, to thereby pull the lifting sling (1 ) through at said deck slot (3);

actuating said lifting sling latch member (9) to the released position;

threading said lifting sling (1 ) over said lifting sling latch member (9); and releasing said lifting sling latch member (9).

12. A lifting system including a lifeboat with an apparatus of claim 1 , and a lifting sling (1 ) attached to a lifting block (23).