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(11) | EP 0 261 706 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Equipment for laying a sunk mattress down on a basin bottom Vorrichtung zum Absetzen einer Sinkmatte auf den Boden eines Beckens Dispositif pour la mise en place d'un matelas de protection sur le fond d'un bassin |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] This invention relates to equipment for laying a submergable mattress down on a basin bottom comprising a frame to be lowered in the basin, with means provided on two lengthwise or crosswise edges thereof for supporting said mattress in a releasable manner and means for remotely releasing said mattress such that said frame may be subsequently raised leaving the mattress on the basin bottom.
[0002] With the wording "basin", canals, rivers, river mouths, lakes, docks, running waters or still waters should be understood.
[0003] Bottom-protecting means are submergable mattresses which have been finished to size beforehand and which have to be laid over the bottom or possibly the bank of said basin. Such bottom-protecting means will always be called hereinafter "submergable mattresses".
[0004] In some cases, such prefabricated submergable mattresses have to be laid down over large surface areas in a well-determined location and in pre-defined sequence.
[0005] Up to now, such submergable mattresses could only be provided by dumping stones from above the water, which meant having to spread the dumped materials. Flow stream influences then further prevented an accurate locating of the dumped materials. This could result in a large excess dumped materials or an unknown thickness of the dumped layer.
[0006] When use is made of prefabricated mineral asphalt mats, concrete slabs or submergable mattresses from the most varied materials, those cables which are required when laying the sunk mattresses down, are released by divers or in some other way (clamping device), whereby said cables are left in place and have to be considered as lost.
[0007] In U.S. Patent 4,486,120 an arrangement for positioning and laying soil erosion prevention mats, of the kind referred to in the opening paragraph above has been described. The arrangement according to that patent is directed to the laying down of blocks or mats which are gripped between lifting bars.
[0008] The object of the invention is to establish equipment wherewith sunk mattresses after being deposited in the suitable location, can be released from above the water level, and the loss of suspension cables or belts is avoided.
[0009] To obtain such a result according to the invention, the equipment is provided with the features of the characterising portion of claim 1.
[0010] Other details and advantages of the invention will stand out from the following description of equipment for laying a submergable mattress down on a basin bottom, according to the invention. This description is only given by way of non limitative example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic showing of the equipment according to the invention on that moment where the submergable mattress reaches the bottom.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the equipment according to the invention on that moment where the submergable mattress lies stretched over the bottom and the equipment begins the upwards movement thereof.
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic showing of the equipment according to the invention on that moment where the belts have been completely pulled away from underneath the sunk mattress.
Figure 4 is a perspective showing of the equipment according to the invention.
Figure 5 shows on a larger scale, that mechanism wherewith the belts which serve to support the submergable mattresses, can be locked or unlocked.
[0011] The equipment as shown in these figures, is formed by a frame 1 which is essentially comprised of at least one main beam 2 with at least one securing means 3 for a hoisting cable 4.
[0012] A number of small cross-beams 5 are fastened cross-wise to the main beam 2, which extends along the lengthwise direction of said frame.
[0013] In figure 4, to avoid needlessly overcom- plicating the drawing, only some of said cross-beams have been shown. The number of cross-beams 5 shown has however no meaning for a correct understanding of the invention.
[0014] For stiffening the unit, pulling means 6 are stretched between the main beam 2 and the end of every cross-beam 5, while all said cross-beams 5 are joined together by girders 7 which lie at the end of the small cross-beams 5. Finally, along the head ends of the frame, reinforcement cross-beams may be provided with the same function as the girders 7.
[0015] Such a frame or a similar one is shown likewise with reference numeral 1 in figures 1 to 3. The sunk mattress 8 is supported by a series of belts 9. Actually, one belt 9 is provided for each small cross-beam 5. Due to the structure of that material the submergable mattress is made of, said mattress 8 takes on a curved shape (figure 1).
[0016] With the laying of the submergable mattress 8 on the bottom 10, the sunk mattress takes on a condition which corresponds to the even or substantially even bottom 10.
[0017] By resorting to a mechanism which will be further described in detail with reference to figure 5, all the belts 9 can be released on the one side of the frame, in such a way that by pulling the frame upwards, all said belts 9 are pulled away simultaneously from underneath the sunk mattress 8. This is made clear in figures 2 and 3. When the belts 9 have been pulled away from underneath the sunk mattress, said sunk mattress lies accurately in the position intended therefor, and by means of that mechanism the description of which follows, the belts 9 may be released on the one side of the frame without the intervention of divers, for example.
[0018] The mechanism which is the object of figure 5, is comprised for every belt 9, or as the case may be for a group belts 9, of a ratchet wheel 11 which is secured to a cylinder-shaped element 12 wherein a lengthwise slit (not shown in the figures) is provided. A belt end is slipped through said slit. The cylinder-shaped element is rotated for example twice about the center line thereof, in the direction of arrow 13, in such a way that the belt 9 may be considered as locked. A pawl 14 with a tooth 15 is retained pressed by a spring 16 for example, against the ratchet wheel 11. The hinge point for pawl 14 lies at 17.
[0019] There is provided for every belt 9 for example, such a mechanism. The pawl 14 may be raised against the action of spring 16 because said pawl 14 is joined through a connecting element 18 to a small lever 19, which is secured on a tube-like element 20 whereon a main lever 21 is also secured. To the end of said main lever 21, there is secured a connecting element 22 which can be pulled from above the water level.
[0020] When the main lever 21 is being pulled, the pawl 14 comes with the tooth 15 thereof out of the ratchet wheel 11 and the cylinder-shaped element 12 rotates in the direction opposite arrow 13. This means that the belt 9 will be released relative to said cylinder-shaped element 12.
[0021] A plurality of small levers 19 may be provided on one and the same tube-like element 20 and rotating said tube-like element may be obtained by making use of a single main lever 21.
[0022] The cylinder-shaped element 12 with ratchet wheel 11 and the pawl 14 cooperating therewith, as well as the tube-like element 20 are mounted on plates 23 which are made fast to the girders 7.
[0023] It appears from the above description of an equipment for laying submergable mattresses down over a basin bottom, according to the invention, that such submergable mattresses may be laid down under good conditions in an assigned location, and mostly that those belts which support said sunk mattresses, may be released all together or in groups, relative to the equipment frame and thus may be pulled away from underneath the laid-down sunk mattress by operating the locking mechanism from above the water level.
1. Equipment for laying a submergable mattress (8) down on a basin bottom (10) comprising
a frame (1) to be lowered in the basin, with means provided on two lengthwise or crosswise
edges thereof for supporting said mattress in a releasable manner and means for remotely
releasing said mattress such that said frame may be subsequently raised leaving the
mattress (8) on the basin bottom, characterised in that the mattress (8) is supported
on belts (9) one end of each belt (9) being secured to one lengthwise or crosswise
frame edge (5, 7) and the other end being inserted in a slot in a rotatable cylindrically
shaped element (12) at the other lengthwise or crosswise frame edge and wound around
said element(s) so as to be releasably retained on said cylinder shaped element(s)
(12), whereby, upon release of said belt (9) ends the belts (9) can be pulled out
from underneath the submerged mattress (8).
2. Equipment as defined in claim 1, characterised in that said rotatable cylindrical
shaped element (12) is equipped with a ratchet wheel (11) which cooperates with a
pawl (14), while a small lever (19) which can be remotely operated to pull said pawl
(14) away from said ratchet wheel (11) is connected to said pawl (14).
3. Equipment as defined in claim 2, characterised in that said small lever (19) is
secured to a tube-like element (20) the rotation of which is caused by a main lever
(21) which is secured on that same tube-like element (20), and which can be operated
from above the water level.
4. Equipment as defined in either one of claims 2 and 3, characterised in that said
pawl (14) is connected to said small lever (19) through a connecting element (18).
1. Vorrichtung zum Absetzen einer Sinkmatte (8) auf den Boden (10) eines Beckens,
enthaltend einen in das Becken abzusenkenden Rahmen (1) mit Einrichtungen, die an
zwei Längs- oder Querrändern desselben angeordnet sind, um die Matte lösbar zu halten,
und eine Einrichtung zum ferngesteuerten Freigeben der Matte, so daß der Rahmen anschließend
angehoben werden kann und die Matte (8) auf dem Beckenboden zurückläßt, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
daß die Matte (8) auf Riemen (9) gehalten ist, von denen jeweils ein Ende an einem
Längs- oder Querrand (5, 7) des Rahmens befestigt ist und das andere Ende in einen
Schlitz in einem drehbaren zylindrischen Element (12) am anderen Längs- oder Querrand
des Rahmens eingeführt und um das betreffende Element gewickelt ist, um lösbar an
dem zylindrischen Element (12) gehalten zu werden, wodurch beim Freigeben der Riemenenden
die Riemen (9) unter der abgesenkten Matte (8) hervorgezogen werden können.
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das drehbare zylindrische
Element (12) mit einem Zackenrad (11) versehen ist, das mit einer Sperrklinke (14)
zusammenwirk, während ein kleiner Hebel (19), der fernbedient werden kann, um die
Sperrklinke (14) von dem Zackenrad (11) wegzuziehen, mit der Sperrklinke (14) verbunden
ist.
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der kleine Hebel (19)
an einem rohrförmigen Element (20) befestigt ist, dessen Drehung von einem Haupthebel
(21) hervorgerufen wird, der an demselben rohrförmigen Element (20) befestigt ist
und der von oberhalb des Wasserspiegels betätigt werden kann.
4. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 und 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Sperrklinke
(14) mit dem kleinen Hebel (19) über ein Verbindungselement (18) verbunden ist.
1. Dispositif pour la mise en place d'un matelas submersible (8) sur un fond de bassin
(10), comprenant un cadre (1) à descendre dans le bassin, avec des moyens prévus sur
deux bords longitudinaux ou transversaux de ce dernier pour supporter ledit matelas
d'une manière détachable et des moyens pour libérer à distance ce matelas de façon
que ledit cadre puisse être ensuite élevé en abandonnant le matelas (8) sur le fond
de bassin, caractérisé en ce que le matelas (8) est supporté sur des courroies (9),
l'une des extrémités de chaque courroie (9) étant fixée à un bord longitudinal ou
transversal (5, 7) du cadre et l'autre extrémité étant insérée dans une fente d'un
élément rotatif (12) de forme cylindrique, à l'autre bord longitudinal ou transversal
du cadre, et étant enroulée autour de ce ou ces élément(s) (12) les courroies (9)
pouvant être tirées de dessous le matelas submergé (8) après libération de ces extrémités
de courroie (9).
2. Dispositif suivant la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'élément rotatif
(12) de forme cylindrique est équipé d'une roue à rochet (11) qui coopère avec un
cliquet (14), tandis qu'un petit levier (19), qui peut être actionné à distance pour
tirer le cliquet (14) à l'écart de la roue à rochet (11), est relié à ce cliquet (14).
3. Dispositif suivant la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que le petit levier (19)
est fixé à un élément analogue à un tube (20), dont la rotation est provoquée par
un levier principal (21) qui est fixé sur le même élément analogue à un tube (20)
et qui peut être mis en service depuis un niveau supérieur à l'eau.
4. Dispositif suivant l'une ou l'autre des revendications 2 et 3, caractérisé en ce
que ledit cliquet (14) est relié au petit levier (19) par un élément de liaison (18).