Apparatus for mooring a vessel and system for controlling a plurality of mooring apparatuses

Abstract

 The invention relates to an installation (1) for docking a vessel (2) which is provided with means (6) co-acting with the vessel for guiding thereof and drivable means (7) for connecting to the vessel for displacing the vessel along the guide means (6) to a docking location (5). The guide means (6) can herein be adapted to exert on the vessel a force directed away from the docking location and comprise for instance a resiliently deformable tensioning element (8) arranged at a distance from the docking location, while the displacing means (7) can be adapted to displace the vessel counter to the force of the guide means (6) and can for instance be formed by a pulling element (12) connecting the vessel to the docking location and for hauling in with a winch (13).
The invention also relates to a system for managing a number of docking locations which each have such a docking installation, which is provided with means which are arranged at a central location and which are to be connected to the displacing means of each docking installation for control thereof.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an installation for docking a vessel. Docking of vessels often entails problems as a result of the relatively limited manoeuvrability of most vessels.

[0002] These problems occur particularly when a vessel must be docked transversely of a quay or pier, as is often the case in harbours where large numbers of recreational vessels have to find a mooring. The vessel must then be navigated to the quay or pier between two mooring posts, wherein mooring lines must be simultaneously connected to these posts to fix the side of the vessel remote from the quay or pier. The side of the vessel facing toward the quay or pier, generally the bow, must then also be fixed by arranging at least one mooring line. Particularly when the wind is directed parallel to the quay or pier, and therefore transversely of the vessel, this method of docking results in chaotic scenes and usually to scratches or other slight damage to the vessel.

[0003] The invention therefore has for its object to provide a system with which a vessel can be docked in simple and safe manner without great efforts on the part of the crew. The invention provides for this purpose an installation which is provided with means co-acting with the vessel for guiding thereof, and drivable means for connecting to the vessel for displacing the vessel along the guide means to a docking location. The vessel hereby no longer has to be manoeuvred independently after connection thereof to the displacing means but is simply pulled to the docking location, wherein the correct position is ensured by the guide means.

[0004] A simple method of orienting the vessel consists of a force directed away from the docking location being exerted on the vessel by the guide means and the vessel being pulled to the docking location by displacement of the displacing means counter to the force of the guide means. For this purpose the guide means preferably comprise at least one resiliently deformable tensioning element arranged at a distance from the docking location, while the displacing means are formed by at least one pulling element connecting the vessel to the docking location and for hauling in with a winch. The winch is preferably drivable by a motor. In this way the vessel can be docked without effort.

[0005] When the tensioning element is suspended between two mooring posts defining an entrance to the docking location and has means substantially halfway between the mooring posts for connecting the vessel and the pulling element, the vessel can be navigated in simple manner to the tensioning element, pulled with its bow to about halfway along the tensioning element and then connected to the pulling element, whereafter the pulling element with the vessel thereon can be hauled in, wherein the tensioning element is then gradually extended or paid out.

[0006] The displacing means can preferably be operated from a distance, whereby all operations relating to the docking can be carried out from the vessel. This also provides the option of integrating the docking installation in a management system for a plurality of docking locations.

[0007] The docking installation can be further provided with means for displaying the situation of the displacing means. This is of particular importance in the case of a management system as stated above, because it is then possible to determine at a glance which docking locations are available.

[0008] The invention also relates to a system for managing a number of docking locations which each have a docking installation as discussed above. Such a management system is provided according to the invention with means which are arranged at a central location and which are to be connected to the displacing means of each docking installation for control thereof. Using such a system a harbour master can easily regulate the allocation of moorings in a harbour from a central location.

[0009] The central control means can herein preferably be connected wirelessly to the displacing means of each docking installation, whereby the displacing means can be controlled from the central location in the same manner as with the remote control on board a vessel.

[0010] When the central control means are adapted to query the situation of the displacing means of each docking installation, it is easily possible to detect at the central location which moorings are in use and which are still available.

[0011] The invention will now be elucidated on the basis of an embodiment, wherein reference is made to the annexed drawing, in which:

figures 1A to 1C show is perspective top view the different steps of docking a vessel with the installation according to the invention, and

figure 2 is a schematic view of a harbour with a number of docking locations and the management system according to the invention.

[0012] An installation 1 for docking a vessel 2 with its bow 3 or stern 4 at a quay or pier 5 comprises guide means 6 and displacing means 7. Guide means 6 comprise a resiliently stretchable or extensible tensioning element 8, for instance in the form of a bungee elastic cable or a tensioning belt wound onto a spring-loaded supply reel 9. This tensioning element 8 is stretched between two mooring posts 10 which together define the entrance to a mooring location 24. Tensioning element 8 can herein be fastened to floats 11 connected to posts 11 so that it is always suspended above the water surface and is readily accessible.

[0013] Displacing means 7 comprise a pulling element 12, generally a mooring line, which is connected to a winch 13 on the quay or pier 5 which is driven by an electric motor 15 or in other manner. The free end 14 of mooring line 12 can be connected to tensioning belt 8. Winch 13 is provided with an operating unit 16 which can be controlled from a distance, preferably in wireless manner. For this purpose a remote control 17 is present on board vessel 2. When docking location 24 is the permanent mooring of vessel 2, the remote control can be built in permanently, but it is also possible that vessel 2 is a transient and has had a mooring allocated by the harbour master and has then been loaned the associated remote control. In order to prevent improper use, the operating unit 16 can be embodied such that it accepts control commands only after a PIN code has first been entered. This ensures that only the rightful user of the remote control, and optionally the harbour master, can gain access to docking location 24.

[0014] Operating unit 16 can otherwise also be provided with means for displaying the situation of the displacing means, with which it is possible to read remotely whether mooring line 12 is paid out, indicating that docking location 24 is free, or whether it is hauled in, indicating that a vessel 2 has docked.

[0015] Vessel 2 can now be manoeuvred in simple manner to docking location 24 by navigating for instance the bow 3 against tensioning element 8 and subsequently fastening the free end of pulling line 12 to vessel 2. For this purpose this free end 12 can be provided for instance with a carabine hook whereby it can be easily coupled to bow 3. By now switching on motor 15 of winch 13 via the operating unit using the remote control, pulling line 12, and thereby vessel 2, are pulled to the quay or pier 5 counter to the tensioning force of tensioning element 8. Vessel 2 is herein automatically centred by the tensioning force of tensioning element 8, so that the crew is not required to intervene in any way at all. Because winch 13 hauls in line 12 very gradually, there is no danger of vessel 2 making contact at great speed with the quay or pier 5, whereby damage to vessel 2 and/or the quay or pier 5 is avoided. If desired, winch 13 can switch off automatically when the end of the line 12 is detected.

[0016] Winch 13 can also be operated from a central location in a harbour 18. A central management system 19 can be present for this purpose at the central location, which system is connected for instance via a main cable 22 and a number of branches 23 to the operating units 16 of winches 13 of a large number of docking locations 24. The management system 19 can be provided with input means 20 with which the harbour master can enter the availability of each docking location, and with display means 21 with which the situation of each winch 13 can be read. Instead of a management system based on fixed cables, use can otherwise be made of a central transmitting and receiving unit, whereby operation therefore takes place wirelessly. The central control thus takes place in the same manner as the control from the vessel, which can result in a simpler embodiment of operating unit 16.

[0017] In this manner the harbour master can for instance reserve a docking location 24 by remotely deactivating or even locking the winch 13 thereof by supplying an appropriate code to the relevant operating unit 16. Conversely, a winch can also be released in this manner when a docking location has been allocated. In addition, it is possible in this way to lock a winch 13 for instance up to the moment that the docking charges due have been paid. Due to the presence of the display means 21 the harbour master also always has an accurate picture of the extent to which the harbour is occupied.

[0018] Although the invention is described here with reference to an embodiment, it will be apparent that it is not limited thereto. Use could thus be made of a pulling line 12 which is fixedly attached to the quay or pier 5 and which could be hauled in by a winch on the vessel 2 itself. Instead of mooring posts 10, other substantially static elements such as mooring buoys or even quay walls could also be used for fastening of the tensioning element. In addition, the management system could also be applied without the described docking installations 1, for instance if each docking location 24 were provided with remotely controllable closing means such as a line or chain for automatic suspending between mooring posts 10. Instead of a management system with control means arranged at a central location, it is also possible in a simpler embodiment to envisage winches 13 each being provided with for instance a lock for operating by a harbour master.

[0019] The scope of the invention is therefore defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Installation for docking a vessel, provided with means co-acting with the vessel for guiding thereof, and drivable means for connecting to the vessel for displacing the vessel along the guide means to a docking location.

2. Docking installation as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the guide means are adapted to exert on the vessel a force directed away from the docking location and the displacing means are adapted to displace the vessel counter to the force of the guide means.

3. Docking installation as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the guide means comprise at least one resiliently deformable tensioning element arranged at a distance from the docking location and the displacing means are formed by at least one pulling element connecting the vessel to the docking location and for hauling in with a winch.

4. Docking installation as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the winch is drivable by a motor.

5. Docking installation as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the tensioning element is suspended between two mooring posts defining an entrance to the docking location and has means substantially halfway between the mooring posts for connecting the vessel and the pulling element.

6. Docking installation as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the tensioning element is suspended in floating manner between the mooring posts.

7. Docking installation as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the displacing means can be operated from a distance.

8. Docking installation as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized by means for displaying the situation of the displacing means.

9. System for managing a number of docking locations which each have a docking installation as claimed in claim 7 or 8, provided with means which are arranged at a central location and which are to be connected to the displacing means of each docking installation for control thereof.

10. Management system as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the central control means can be connected wirelessly to the displacing means of each docking installation.

11. Management system as claimed in claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the central control means are adapted to query the situation of the displacing means of each docking installation.

Drawing