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(11) | EP 1 277 651 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Device for height adjustment of fenders mounted on a vessel |
| (57) The invention relates to a device for height adjustment of fenders mounted along
at least part of the circumference of a vessel, in which the fenders can be adjusted
in height per separate fender or with a number of fenders simultaneously. To this
end, the fenders, with a number of them simultaneously or each individually, are connected
to a wire or chain through a guide to an actuating member, in which the guide system
can be part of a railing of a vessel and the actuating members can also be accommodated
in the guide or the railing. |
[0001] The present application relates to a device for height adjustment of buffers, or, as more commonly indicated, fenders, mounted on a vessel.
[0002] Such fenders serve for protecting the boat when it is moored, but also for protecting the landing stage or quay, and in case of boats lying adjacent one another for protecting those boats. The number of fenders required per side of a vessel depends on the length of the boat and the extension of the peripheral shape so that the minimum required number of fenders can amount quickly. The fenders should be hung at the desired height, which depends on the height of the quay or landing stage, possibly on its specific shape, and will possibly have to be brought at an appropriate height again in case of a changing water level. When abutting another vessel, hanging the fenders at the appropriate height should also be effected very precisely, since one moors not onto a fixed, but onto a moving object.
[0003] In practice, this means that every fender should be hung at the appropriate height separately by hand. Which subsequently comprises loosening the fastening means by which the fender is fastened, determining the appropriate height and re-fastening the fastening means, and this a number of times consecutively. Due to the time required for this operation, a vessel may not in all cases be prevented from hitting a landing stage, quay or another boat. Further, it frequently occurs that it is unjustly assumed that the fenders will hang at approximately the appropriate position, which again can result in damages.
[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a solution for the problems that can arise. Accordingly, the invention provides for a device for height adjustment of fenders mounted along at least part of the circumference of a vessel, in which the device has been arranged in such a way that the fenders can be adjusted in height per separate fender or with a number of fenders simultaneously.
[0005] According to a further elaboration it is at least provided for, that each of the fenders is mounted on a fixed position along the circumference of a vessel and is connected to an actuating member by connecting means through a guide. Here, each of the fenders can be connected to an actuating member by an individual wire or chain, or the connecting means can consist of at least one main wire or chain to which the separate fenders with further connecting means are connected. Said further connecting means can also be a wire or chain or a rope for example.
[0006] Although it is well possible to lower the fenders at both starboard and port simultaneously, it is preferred to have the possibility to realize this separately as well. Often, only one side requires lowering of the fenders, such as when mooring at a landing stage, for example. To that end, according to the invention it is provided for that separate actuating members for starboard and port have been provided to which the fenders are connected by a guide with connecting means or with a separate main wire or chain to which the individual fenders again are connected with further connecting means.
[0007] When applying a main wire to which the individual fenders are connected with further connecting means or of individual connecting means for each of the fenders to which they are connected with an actuating members, the fenders should be of sufficient weight for being able to actually lower them to the desired height on releasing a main wire or chain or individual connecting means in a desired length. According to a further elaboration, it can be provided for, that at least one main wire or chain can be an endless main wire or chain. With such a provision, the main wire or chain can always be slid across exactly the desired distance, in which the weight of the fenders need only provide for that the connecting means, by which they are connected to the main wire or chain, emerge from the guide across a corresponding distance and remain taut.
[0008] Further, according to the invention it is provided for, that the guide for the connecting means comprises a substantially tubular guide extending along at least part of the circumference of the vessel and being provided with spaced-apart guiding apertures. According to a further elaboration, it is provided for, that at least a portion of the guide is part of a railing mounted along part of the circumference or the complete circumference of a vessel. This has the clear advantage that the guide for the system can be designed as inconspicuously as possible.
[0009] Further, containers can be provided, in which the fenders can be stored during navigation. Such containers can be mounted along the railing or be incorporated in the boat hull, in which they preferably cooperate with the system in such a way that with said fenders in the uppermost position, they are accomodated in the containers concerned.
[0010] As actuating member or for driving the actuating member, a double-acting pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder can be employed, in which said cylinder transmits the linear movement directly or through a mechanical coupling to the connecting means of the fenders or to a main wire of chain, or in which the movement is transmitted through a reel or a comparable member. Here, the reel should have a sufficiently large diameter for being able to enclose the maximum range in less than half a turn.
[0011] When using a reel per side or one reel for both sides, it is also possible to provide an accurately controllable electric motor, a stepping motor, for example.
[0012] According to a further embodiment it is provided for that each of the fenders has an actuating member of its own. There, it is preferably further provided for, that said actuating member is accommodated in a cylindrical housing having at least one guide opening for a wire or rope and the actuating member comprises an electric motor, and further a reel mounted on a shaft driven by said electric motor is provided. Said cylindrical housing can be part of a tube of the railing or can comprise an individual tube portion which can be fastened to the railing or another part of a vessel.
[0013] For controlling the actuating members, a control system can be provided, having e.g. an operating panel in the pilot house and possibly additional operating panels along the railing at starboard and port sides. Such an operating panel can be arranged in such a way that it is possible to operate both sides simultaneously, each side individually, or each fender separately. Said last possibility can of course only consist if each of the fenders has an actuating member of its own. With said last possibility, it can be useful to provide an additional possibility in which a control system can be actuated with a wireless hand control set connected to it. Thus, it is possible to e.g. lower the fenders at the side concerned across a certain distance simultaneously and subsequently, on walking along the railing and checking whether all fenders are hanging at the appropriate height, adjust them indivually, if necessary.
[0014] In the following, the invention is further explained by way of the example given in the drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 shows schematically a cross-section of a vessel, fender and landing stage at a first water level;
Fig. 2 shows schematically a cross-section of a vessel, fender and landing stage at a second water level;
Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the device in which the connecting means of the fenders have been accommodated in a tubular guide;
Fig. 4 shows a detail of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 shows a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder as actuating member;
Fig. 6 shows a driven reel as actuating member;
Figs. 7A, B shows an example of a manually-operated reel as actuating member;
Fig. 8 such a reel in more detail;
Fig. 9 shows an actuating member for a fender, received in a cylindrical housing;
Fig. 10 illustrates the housing 8 according to Fig. 8 in een opened shape;
Fig. 11 shows an embodiment in which a number of actuating members have been accommodated in a cylindrical housing and are driven with the help of a common shaft; and
Figs. 12A,B show two possible control panels for a control system for the device.
[0015] Figs. 1, 2 illustrate schematically a cross-section of a vessel 1 in which a fender 2 is mounted at one side. Through a guide 5 mounted on the railing 4, the fender 2 is fastened to a point of fastening not further indicated, with a rope or chain 3. Usually, a fender 2 is fastened with a rope 3, and when a vessel 1 moors at a landing stage 6, the rope 3 will have to be released per fender, the fender will have to be brought to the appropriate height and the rope 3 will have to be fastened again. With working of the tides, after some time it should be checked whether the fenders are still hanging at the desired height and they will have to be readjusted regularly.
[0016] Fig. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the device in which a tubular guide 7, being arranged along a side of the vessel or being part of a railing mounted along that side, contains the connecting means 8 between the fenders 2 and an actuating member 9. The connecting means 8 consist substantially of a stainless steel wire 10 to which the fenders 2, except for the last fender 12, are connected with a wire 11 of their own. These wires 10, 11 pass to the outside through apertures 13 incorporated in the guide 7, see Fig. 4. The last fender 12 can be connected directly to the extreme end of the main wire 10. The extreme ends of wires 10, 11 are connected to a fender with the help of a snaplink or a D-closure 14, for example.
[0017] The main wire 10 can have a diameter of e.g. 6 mm at the beginning and go to a diameter of 3 mm in the portion where the fenders 2 are fastened to the main wire 10 with a wire 11 of their own. The total diameter of the wire assembly will then remain within such limits that it can be received into a tubular guide 7 of a tube size common for a railing. The guide 7 will preferably also have been made of stainless steel so that the wires 10, 11 can always move through the guid with ease.
[0018] At the beginning of the guide 7, an actuating member 15 is mounted, here comprising a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 16, which directly engages the main wire 10. It is also possible to effect this through a mechanical transmission, in which an adjustment of the stroke of the cylinder to the desired range can be made. This actuating member is illustrated in more detail in Fig. 5 and comprises a double-acting cylinder 16, piston 17, piston rod 18 and connections 19, 20. Such a cylinder should have a long stroke in order to have a sufficiently large range for the fenders. When using a cylinder as indicated in the figure, for lowering of the fenders 2 it is necessary that they have a sufficiently large weight to cause the wires 10, 11 to emerge from the guide without any catch.
[0019] A reel 21, see Fig. 6, driven by an electric motor 22, a stepping motor, for example, can also be employed as actuating member. Here, a flexible wire 23 should be used, which can easily be coiled taut onto and from the reel. This can be a nylon thread 23, for example, in which the main wire 10 or the separate wires 11 are fastened to its extreme end.
[0020] Figs. 7A,B and Fig. 8 illustrate examples of reels that can be actuated manually. The actuating member 24 according to Fig. 7A,B comprises reels 25, 26 having an actuating handle 27 mounted on a common shaft. Further, guide rollers 28, 29 have been provided for guiding wire 10, 23 wound on the reels 25, 26, and a locking member - not further illustrated in the drawing - for being able to lock the reels 25, 26 in a certain position. Fig. 8 shows the use of reels having a much larger diameter than those in the preceding figure, as a result of which it is possible to lower the fenders across a sufficiently large range and to take them up within a limited turn of the reel 30. There, a calibration adapted to the actuating handle 31 can be provided for.
[0021] With these reels, the fenders at starboard and port are operated simultaneously. By designing the reels separately, this can of course also be effected independently.
[0022] Instead of being arranged with one single guide 7 and an ending wire 10, the embodiment according to Fig. 3 can also be arranged with an endless wire 10 and a guide 7 changing into a return guide. Said actuating members 15 can also be employed here. Such an embodiment will generally only be necessary in case of larger lengths of the guide 7.
[0023] Figs. 9, 10 illustrate an embodiment of an actuating member 34 accommodated in a cylindrical housing 33. Said actuating member 34 comprises an electric motor 35 received in the housing with a reel 37 mounted on its drive shaft 36, executed here as a screw wheel. Preferably, the screw wheel 37 is mounted axially slidable on the shaft 36, yet not rotatable. A possible embodiment for it can comprise a key and key way. The advantage of the axially slidable screw wheel is the fact that the wire 11 can always move out through the aperture 38 in a straight position and also be wound back onto the screw wheel in a straight position.
[0024] Housing 33 is further provided with a guiding spout 39 for the wire 11 and a fastening lip 40 for fastening the housing to a railing, for example. Finally, a control member 41 can be mounted with which the actuating member 34 and specifically the electric motor, can be operated. This allows for actuating a fender in situ, e.g. in order to suspend it more accurately.
[0025] Fig. 11 illustrates an example in which a number of spaced-apart reels or rollers 42 are mounted on a common shaft within a cylindrical housing 45. In this way, a number of fenders 2 can be operated simultaneously with one electric motor. By incorporating cross-connections in the drive shaft 43 on the appropriate positions, such an embodiment can also be received in a housing 33 or (railing) tube not extending straight. The illustrated reels or rollers 42 have their ends provided with circular end pieces 44 connecting to the inside of the tubular guide 45 and therefore provide a bearing for the drive shaft 43.
[0026] Finally, Figs. 12A,B provide possible embodiments of an operating panel for a control system for the device. Fig. 12A concerns an operating panel 46 for a relatively simple control system in which switch 47 can be used to choose for actuating the fenders 2 at starboard or port side, and switch 48 for lowering or taking up the fenders. With this control system, e.g. the embodiments according to Figs. 3 and 11 can be operated appropriately.
[0027] Operation panel 49 illustrated in Fig. 12B is provided with a switch 50 with which, from a neutral position, one can choose for actuating all fenders 2 at starboard or port side, or for actuating each separate fender 2 at starboard or port side individually. Switch 51 can then be chosen for lowering or taking up the fenders 2. This control system can be used for the embodiment of the device according to Figs. 9 and 10.
[0028] The switches 48 and/or 51 can also be arranged as push switch in which for each contact, an electric motor, stepping motor or other member is driven during a predetermined time, thus moving the fender across a predetermined distance upwards or downwards. The positions of the separate fenders can be reproduced on a display.
1. Device for height adjustment of fenders mounted along at least part of the circumference
of a vessel, in which the device has been arranged in such a way that the fenders
can be adjusted in height per separate fender or with a number of fenders simultaneously.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the fenders is mounted on a fixed position along the circumference of a vessel
and is connected to an actuating member by connecting means through a guide.
3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that connecting means consist of at least one main wire or chain to which the separate
fenders with further connecting means are connected.
4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that separate actuating members for starboard and port have been provided to which the
fenders are connected by a guide with connecting means or with a separate main wire
or chain to which the individual fenders again are connected with further connecting
means.
5. Device according to claims 2, 3, characterized in that at least one main wire or chain is an endless main wire or chain.
6. Device according to claims 3, 4, 5, characterized in that the guide comprises a substantially tubular guide extending along at least part of
the circumference of the vessel and being provided with spaced-apart guiding apertures.
7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that at least a portion of the guide is part of a railing mounted along part of the circumference
or the complete circumference.
8. Device according to claims 3, 4, 5, characterized in that said actuating member comprises a double-acting pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder.
9. Device according to claims 3 - 6, characterized in that the actuating member comprises a reel having a drive.
10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the reel is provided with a manually operable lever.
11. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the drive comprises an electric motor, a stepping motor, for example.
12. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the fenders is provided with an actuating member of its own.
13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the actuating member is accommodated in a cylindrical housing having at least one
guide opening for a wire or rope and the actuating member comprises an electric motor,
and further a reel mounted on a shaft driven by said electric motor is provided.
14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the reel is mounted axially slidable on the shaft.
15. Device according to claim 14, characterized in that the reel is designed in the shape of a screw wheel.
16. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the actuating members are accommodated spaced-apart in a cylindrical housing and
a common drive shaft being provided for driving two or more of the actuating members.
17. Device according to claim 16, characterized in that the drive shaft is flexible or is provided with cross-connections, where necessary.
18. Device according to claims 1 - 17, characterized in that a control system has been provided which is arranged to drive one or more actuating
members separately or simultaneously.
19. Device according to claim 18, characterized in that means for remote control of the control system have been provided.