......DE....FRGBGRIT......SE......................*3RDIM360 - Ver 2.9 (30 Jun 1998) 2100000/00686114EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATIONB119981014EP93912027.51993042019960122199603221995100319960701svenen199810141998421995121319955019981014199842199706206 6B 63B 59/08 AdeBOOTSRUMPFREINIGUNGSGERÄTenBOAT HULL CLEANING APPARATUSfrAPPAREIL DE NETTOYAGE DE COQUE DE BATEAUEP-A- 0 165 911US-A- 3 561 391US-A- 3 800 732US-A- 4 102 290US-A- 4 784 078AUGUSTSSON, LeoLextorpsvägen 311S-461 64 TrollhättanSEWidenhammar, Rustan01863620Helgonagatan 220442 41 KungälvSEAugustsson, Leo01863640Klyftevägen 1461 53 TrollhättanSEDEFRGBGRITSESE930032019930420svWO942399319941027199424

the invention refers to an automatic or semi-automatic boat hull cleaning apparatus. Cleaning apparatus are known for instance, from American Patent 4,784,078; this document discloses a boat hull cleaning apparatus in which fixed robots are disposed under-water, the boat being positioned by a number of centering units at the sides of the body of water. the fixed, stationary robots do not permit a thoughrough and complete reach of certain types and sizes of hulls. the present application intends to solve that problem by providing the elements defined in the characterising portion of claim 1, and the method defined in claim 4.

1. Bogie for robot. Runs along the rail and keeps the right pressure against the boat body. The movements are effected by electric motors or another power source.
2. Robot attached to bogie. The robotarm can have one link, as the drawing shows, but it can also have more than one. An electric motor or another power source drives the linked part. In the outer end of the arm there is a spray unit. The construction can have one or more robot arms.
3. Rail construction for bogie. It is attached to the ground and have a shape, that makes the bogie runs smoothly along it unto the mechanic buffer stops, that are placed in each end. The rail can be in one piece, but if there are any obstacles during mounting or transportation, it can be divided in suitable pieces.
4. Bogie for fixation arm. The bogie runs along the rail and is driven by an electric motor or another power source. The bogie drives the fixation arm with a hydraulic cylinder construction or another power source, which guarantees, that the opposite fixation arm gets the same position and power in the movement and in that way fix the object (the boat) to the centre of the washing construction.
5. Fixation arm attached to its bogie. This arm can be in one piece or divided in one or more links. In the end of the arm there are protective rolls edgeways, and they can be of a model, that prevents rotation in both directions. The rolls are made of a material, that can't damage the boat body. The construction can be provided with 2 or more fixation arms.
6. Rolls or bumper guards. These will protect the boat from being damaged by the construction. They are placed where they are most useful; along sides, gates, bogie arms and other out-sticking parts.
7. Suspension attachment for net and canvas intended for collection of mud and particles from washed boat bodies. The arrangement can be taken care of by service presonnel. It is placed in a pontoon or in a stationary construction.
8. Net or som other arrangement for stabilization of canvas for collection of mud and particles from washed boat bodies. The arrangement is fixed to the suspension attachment )pos 7). It can be made of any material.
9. Cnavas for collection of particles and mud from cleande boat bottoms, in order to prevent the mud from getting out of the construction. This mud will be removed regularly.
10. Weights attached to the canvas to keep it intact. The weights can be of any form or construction.
11. Mobile pontoon-bridges or stationary constructions. The pontoon-bridges can also be semi-detached to one unit. This construction can have a gate in one or both ends. See pos 15.
12. Anchorage for pontoon-bridge in shape of a pole or an anchor with chain.
13. Construction for movable pipes.
14. Lights.
15. The construction can be provided with a gate. It can be operated by hydraulic cylinders or another power source. The construction is mounted in the pontoon or in the stationary construction. Stripes are placed between the construction and the canvas (pos 8) to prevent the mud from coming out of the construction. The arrangement is used as a connection between pontoons or stationary constructions.
16. Arrangement for locking the gates together. The arrangement can be rigid or movable.
17. Docking arrangement for boat stem. It will lock the stem to the centre line of the construction.
18. Handle to be used by the boat driver to steer the stem into the docking arrangement.
19. Hut for operation- and charging systems.
20. Desk for operating- and charging systems. Operating- and charging systems see pos 25 and 26.
21. High pressure pump for spray nozzles.
22. Spray unit placed in front of the robotarm. See separate description.
23. The sea bottom profile.
24. Dredged sea bottom profile, if necessary.
25. Automatic system for steering and controlling the construction. The washing is activated by an operation panel.
26. Charging system that communicates with the steering system (pos 25).

Pos 22 Spray unit Pos Description 1. Wheel of a material that protects the boat body. 2. Spray nozzle. 3. Movable suspension attachment. 4. High pressure pipe for distribution of water to the nozzles. 5. Inlet for water from pump. 6. Off-centre mounted shaft for wheel to get an automatically positioned angle of the nozzles against the boat body. 7. Robotarm. The spray unit can be combined with fixed or driven brushes.

An automatic or semiautomatic boat bottom washer construction mounted on quay or on one or several floating pontoons (11), comprising one or several robots provided with water spray nozzles (2) at the end of their operating arms (8), a centering unit (5) (17), a control post (19) located on quay or on deck of one of the pontoons,
characterized in that,
the robots are mounted on bogies (1) and in that the quay or pontoons (11) are provided with rails (3) on wich said bogies (1) are slidably mounted, and in that the end of robot's arm (8) is equipped with a spray unit (22) provided with a suspension attachment, and that the wash head is equipped with at least one wheel off-center mounted on a shaft (4) to get an automatically positioning angle of the spray nozzles (2) in use against the boat hull, and that the centering unit (5) (17) is positioning the boat during washing.

A construction as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the spray nozzles (2) provide a flat stream of water with a spread angle of 10-100°, a water pressure between 30-300 bar, and a water flow of at least 20 lit/min per spray nozzle.

A construction as claimed claim 1, characterized in that the centering unit (5) (17) is automatically or semiautomatically keeping the boat in position for washing, while the boat is still in the water.

A method for cleaning boat bottoms using the construction of claims 1to 3,
characterized by the steps of: - introducing a boat for washing and fixing its position,

- displacing the bogies for the robots along the rails during the washing,

- introducing the robot's arms under the boat hull,

- spraying the boat bottom with the cleaning spray nozzles.

- releasing the boat from the centering unit and leaving the construction.

Eine voll- oder halbautomatische Bootsunterseiten-Waschanlage, montiert auf dem Kai oder auf einem oder mehreren Pontons (11), bestehend aus einem oder mehreren am Ende ihrer Arbeitsarme (8) mit Wasser-Sprühdüsen (2) ausgestatteten Robotern, einer Zentriervorrichtung (5) (17), einem Bedienungsstand (19), der entweder auf dem Kai oder an Deck eines der Pontons aufgestellt ist,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß
die Roboter auf Laufkatzen (1) montiert sind und daß der Kai beziehungsweise die Pontons (11) mit Gleisen (3) ausgestattet sind, auf denen die vorgenannten Laufkatzen (1) verschiebbar montiert sind, und daß das Ende eines Armes des Roboters (8) mit einer Sprühvorrichtung ausgerüstet ist, die wiederum mit einer Aufhängebefestigung ausgestattet ist, und daß der Waschkopf mit mindestens einem Rad, das auf der Achse (4) versetzt zur Mitte, um einen automatischen Ausrichtungswinkel der Sprühdüsen (2) am Rumpf zu erreichen, und daß die Zentriervorrichtung (5) (17) das Boot während des Waschvorganges festhält.

Eine Konstruktion wie unter Anspruch 1 beschrieben, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Sprühdüsen (2) einen flachen Wasserausstoß mit einer Spanne von 10―100 °, einen Wasserdruck von 30―300 bar und einen Wasserdurchfluß von mindestens 20 l/min je Sprühdüse vorsehen.

Eine Konstruktion wie unter Anspruch 1 beschrieben, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Zentriervorrichtung (5) (17) das Boot voll- oder halbautomatisch für das Waschen in Position hält, während das Boot ruhig im Wasser liegt.

Ein Verfahren zum Reinigen der Bootsunterseite unter Verwendung der Konstruktionen gemäß der Ansprüche 1―3, gekennzeichnet durch folgende Arbeitsschritte: - Einlaufen des Bootes zum Waschen und Festlegen seiner Position,

- Verschiebung der Roboter-Laufkatzen auf den Gleisen während des Waschvorganges,

- Versenken der Roboterarme unter den Rumpf,

- Absprühen der Bootsunterseite mittels der Reinigungs-Sprühdüsen,

- Lösen des Bootes aus der Zentriervorrichtung und Auslaufen aus der Anlage.

Une construction de lavage de fond de bateau automatique ou semi-automatique monté sur le quai ou sur un ou plusieurs pontons flottants (11) comprenant un ou plusieurs robots munis de gicleurs d'arrosage d'eau (2) à l'extrémité de leurs bras de fonctionnement (8), un dispositif de centrage (5) (17), un poste de commande (19) situé sur le quai ou sur le pont de l'un des pontons
caractérisée par le fait que:
les robots sont montés sur des bogies (1) et que le quai ou les pontons (11) sont munis de rails (3) sur lesquels lesdits bogies (1) glissent et qu'à l'extrémité du bras du bogie (8) est munie d'un dispositif d'arrosage (22) possédant un dispositif de suspension et que la tête de lavage a au moins une roue décentrée montée sur un arbre (4) pour obtenir un angle de positionnement automatique des gicleurs d'arrosage (2) utilisés contre la coque du bateau et que le dispositif de centrage (5) (17) positionne le bateau durant le lavage.

Une construction telle que revendiquée par la revendication 1, caractérisée par le fait que les gicleurs d'arrosage (2) fournissent un jet plat d'eau avec un angle d'arrosage de 10-100 degrés, une pression d'eau d'entre 30-300 bar et un débit d'eau d'au moins 20 litres/minute par gicleur d'arrosage.

Une construction telle que revendiquée par la revendication 1, caractérisée par le fait que le dispositif de centrage (5) (7) garde automatiquement ou semi-automatiquement le bateau en position pour le lavage, le bateau étant toujours dans l'eau.

Une méthode de nettoyage des fonds de bateau, utilisant la construction des revendications de 1 à 3,
caractérisée par les mesures: - d'introduction d'un bateau pour le lavage et de fixation de sa position,

- de déplacement des bogies pour les robots le long des rails pendant le lavage,

- d'introduction des bras du robot sous la coque du bateau,

- d'arrosage du fond du bateau avec les gicleurs d'arrosage de nettoyage,

- de relâcher le bateau du dispositif de centrage et de laisser la construction.