ATBECHDEDKESFRGBGRITLILUNLSEMCPTIESILTLVFIROMKCY..TRBGCZEEHUPLSK..HRIS..MTNO....SM..................JDIM360 Ver 2.15 (14 Jul 2008) - 1100000/02184408EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATIONA120100512EP09174956.420091103enenen0816852720081106EP2010051220101920100512201019

E02F 7/02 20060101AFI20100120BHEP

E02F 9/06 20060101ALI20100120BHEP

E02F 3/88 20060101ALI20100120BHEP

B63B 27/22 20060101ALI20100120BHEP

deSaugbaggerenSuction dredgerfrDrague aspiratrice2Spauwer Dredging BV088332401164EP2Hof Zweedijk 74401 NA YersekeNLDen Herder, Adriaan Hof Zweedijk 74401 NA, YersekeNLUittenbogaart, Gustaaf Adolf00089492Indeig B.V. Bloemendaalseweg 277A, P.O. Box 32050 AA OverveenNLATBEBGCHCYCZDEDKEEESFIFRGBGRHRHUIEISITLILTLULVMCMKMTNLNOPLPTROSESISKSMTR

The invention concerns a suction dredger (19) comprising a hold (18) for holding a load such as sand, shingle or similar, a crane (3) for moving the load from the hold (18) onto an unloading belt (24) along the hold, a base (13) located at a forward position on the suction dredger, a distribution belt (9) supported on the base and swivable extending over a length that is longer than the width of the suction dredger and a lifting belt (10) for moving the load from the unloading belt (24) to above the base and the distribution belt (9).

In accordance with the invention during use the lifting belt (10) is located in the centreline of the suction dredger (19) and is designed such that the distribution belt (9) can swivel at both sides of the suction dredger (19) backwards to a position partly under the lifting belt (10).

The invention concerns a suction dredger in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. In the known suction dredger the lifting belt transports the load from the side of the ship from under the unloading belt directly to the start of the distribution belt at the centre of the suction dredger. The disadvantage of the known suction dredger is that the distribution belt cannot rotate backwards far enough at one side of the ship due to interference between the distribution belt and the lifting belt. In accordance with the invention, the suction dredger is according to claim 1. By locating and designing the lifting belt in the specified way, the unloading can take place at both sides of the suction dredger in similar way.

In accordance with an embodiment, the suction dredger is according to claim 2. In this way, the load is moved in a direct way from the side of the suction dredger to the lifting belt on the centreline of the ship.

In accordance with an embodiment, the suction dredger is according to claim 3. In this way, the start of the lifting belt can be near the hold so that the lifting belt can be as long as possible and can be less steep.

In accordance with an embodiment, the suction dredger is according to claim 4. In this way the suction dredger can unload into vessels moored along one or both sides of the ship.

Embodiments of the invention are described with the aid of the accompanying drawing in which

Figure 1 shows a side view of a suction dredger,
Figure 2 shows a top view of the suction dredger of figure 1,
Figure 3 shows cross section III-III of the suction dredger of figure 1,
Figure 4 shows cross section IV-IV of the suction dredger of figure 1, and
Figure 5 shows a crane on the suction dredger of figure 1 in schematic cross section.

Figures 1-5 show a suction dredger 19. The suction dredger 19 is a vessel with a bow 14 and a stern 21 with crew quarters 1 and a propulsion and steering system 20 and a hold 18 for holding sand, shingle or similar material sucked from the bottom of the sea. The suction dredger 19 has a suction pipe 6 that is coupled to the suction pipe gantry 7. The suction pipe 6 has a suction head 2 and a pump 5. During use, the suction pipe 6 extends from the suction pipe gantry 7 into the sea at the side of the suction dredger 19 with the suction head 2 on the sea floor. The pump 5 pumps a mixture of water with sand, shingle or similar into the hold 18. In the hold 18 the sand, shingle or similar settles in as sediment in the hold 18 and excess water flows out of the hold 18.

After the hold 18 is filled up with sand, shingle or similar the suction dredger 19 ends the loading phase and the suction pipe 6 is brought inboard and the suction dredger 19 sails to an unloading station. At the unloading station the suction dredger 19 is moored alongside a quay or the bow 14 is brought near a location where a distribution belt 9 mounted on the bow 14 can deposit the sand, shingle or similar material. Also the suction dredger 19 can be unloaded while it is anchored and smaller vessels moor alongside.

Rails 22 extend on both sides of the hold 18 and a crane 3 can travel over the rails 22 along the length of the hold 18. The crane 3 has a bucket 4, also known under the names of grab or clamshell. The bucket 4 has a width that is more or less equal to the width of the hold 18 and extends over the width of the hold 18. Cables 26 connect the bucket 4 with a cable drum 25, rotating the cable drum 25 results in hoisting and lowering the bucket 4. The bucket 4 has pistons 27 for opening and closing the bucket 4. After lowering the opened bucket 4 through an opening 36 into the hold 18 and setting it on the sediment deposited in the hold 18, the pistons 27 close the bucket 4 and the cable drum 25 hoists the bucket 4 upwards. After the bucket 4 is hoisted above hatches 29 through the opening 36 and the hatches 29 can rotate around the hinges 31, the hatches 29 rotate downwards by actuating the pistons 32 and close the opening 36 under the bucket 4.

In closed position, as shown in interrupted lines in figure 5, each hatch 29 forms an inclined surface, a slope, towards a crane belt 23. The crane belts 23 extend on both sides of the opening 36 perpendicular to the rails 22 through an opening 30 in the side of the crane 3 to above an unloading belt 24. At the side of the crane belt 23 away from the hatch 29 a guide plate 33 prevents material to fall off from the crane belt 23. After the bucket 4 above the closed hatches 29 is opened by actuating the pistons 27 the content of the bucket 4, sand, shingle or similar material, falls onto the closed hatches 29 and slides towards the crane belt 23.

The crane belts 23 transport the sand, shingle or similar material to the unloading belt 24. After the bucket 4 is unloaded, pistons 32 move the hatches 29 upwards to the position as shown in figure 5 and the bucket 4 is lowered into the hold for the next cycle of fetching a batch of sand, shingle or similar material. It will be clear that in the course of unloading the hold 18 wheels 35 mounted in carriages 34 will move the crane 3 along the length of the suction dredger 19.

In the disclosed embodiment, there are two hatches 29 and two crane belts 23. In a further embodiment the opening 36 is closed with one hatch 29 and there is one crane belt 23 transporting sand, shingle or similar to the unloading belt 24. In the shown embodiment the hatches rotate around a hinge 31. In another embodiment the hatch 29 is coupled by linkage arms to the crane and can make a combined movement so that while rotating the hatch 29 moves sideways as well.

The unloading belt 24 extends at one side of the suction dredger 19 along the length of the hold 18 to the bow 14 and ends above a receiving bin 28 of a transverse belt 8. The transverse belt 8, during unloading of the suction dredger 19 located more or less perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the suction dredger 19, transports the sand, shingle or similar to a receiving bin 16 of a lifting belt 10. The lifting belt 10 is located on the centerline of the suction dredger 19 and transports the sand, shingle or similar to the receiving bin 11 of the distribution belt 9.

A support cylinder 13 is located on the bow 14 of the suction dredger 19. The support cylinder 13 supports a turning hinge 12 that can rotate around a rotation axis 15. The distribution belt 9 is mounted in the turning hinge 12. The distribution belt 9 can rotate around the rotation axis 15, during unloading the suction dredger 19 the rotation of the distribution belt is limited in order to prevent colliding with the lifting belt 10. The distribution belt 9 has a considerable length, for instance more than the width of the suction dredger 19 or more than twice the width of the suction dredger 19, so that the distribution belt 9 can unload at a considerable length in front of the suction dredger 19.

By placing the lifting belt 10 supported by a frame 17 in the centreline of the suction dredger 19 the design is such that the end of the distribution belt 9 can be near the side of the suction dredger 19 on either side of the ship as shown in figure 2. For this, the forward end of the lifting belt 10 is high above the distribution belt 9 so that it can partly swivel under the lifting belt 10. The receiving bin 28 of the transverse belt 8 is located as low as possible so that the forward end of the unloading belt 24 is low above the deck and the distribution belt 9 can swivel freely over the end of the unloading belt 9.

In figure 2 the distribution belt 9 is shown at the port side with uninterrupted lines and the distribution belt 9" is shown at the starboard side with interrupted lines. The advantage of the unloading at both sides is that unloading can take place in vessels at both sides of the suction dredger 19 so that the unloading is more or less uninterrupted when unloading into one vessel at one side and thereafter in the next vessel at the other side. Figure 2 shows the maximum reach of the distribution belt 9 with the stripe-dot line, the distribution belt 9 can be tilted upwards so that obstacles within the reach can be avoided.

After the hold 18 is emptied, the suction dredger 19 is prepared for the next sea voyage. For this the lifting belt 10 is lowered on deck, for instance by moving the backward end of the lifting belt 10 backwards while rotating the frame 17 backwards. The front end of the lifting belt so lowers towards the deck on which it is secured. The distribution belt 9 is rotated backwards and lowered and secured on the center of the suction dredger 19. The crane 3 is secured on deck near the crew quarters 1.

Suction dredger (19) comprising a hold (18) for holding a load such as sand, shingle or similar, a crane (3) for moving the load from the hold onto an unloading belt (24) along the hold, a base (13) located at a forward position of the suction dredger, a distribution belt (9) supported on the base and swivable extending over a length that is longer than the width of the suction dredger and a lifting belt (10) for moving the load from the unloading belt to above the base and the distribution belt characterized in that during use the lifting belt (10) is located in the centreline of the suction dredger (19) and is designed such that the distribution belt (9) can swivel at both sides of the suction dredger backwards to a position partly under the lifting belt.

Suction dredger in accordance with claim 1 wherein a transverse belt (8) moves the load from the unloading belt (24) to the lifting belt (10).

Suction dredger in accordance with claim 2 wherein the transverse belt (8) is more or less perpendicular to the centreline of the suction dredger (19) .

Suction dredger in accordance with one of the previous claims wherein the distribution belt (9) can swivel backwards so that its end is adjacent to the side of the suction dredger (19).