Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/04—Fastening or guiding equipment for chains, ropes, hawsers, or the like
  • B63B21/045—T-shaped cleats
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/16—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring using winches
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/04—Fastening or guiding equipment for chains, ropes, hawsers, or the like
  • B63B21/08—Clamping devices

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a mooring unit for use on board boats, barges or other floating structures, which have to be moored at one or more points to a quay, wharf, barge or the like.
• the present invention also relates to a mooring system in which one or more of the said mooring units are included.
• winches are also known in connection with anchoring and mooring of boats.
• the winches are often located on deck and they may be electrically or hydraulically driven and manually operated by the winch or via a control panel at the boat's steering position(s).
• the winches When the winches are placed on deck they will occupy space which could have been employed for other purposes and they will also be an obstacle to free access. It is therefore an object of the mooring unit and the system according to the present invention to eliminate or at least substantially reduce the drawbacks encumbering known technical solutions, particularly with regard to storage of mooring line on deck and free access on deck when a winch is installed there.
• a mooring unit for boats preferably leisure boats with a deck comprising a mooring structure, for example in the form of a bollard, which is placed on the deck of the boat and one or more winch units for the mooring line, which are mounted below the boat's deck.
• the mooring unit is characterized in that the mooring structure is designed with a through-going pathway system between the underside of the deck at the mooring structure and the outside of the mooring structure, where a first, substantially vertical pathway is provided in the mooring structure and at the inner end of the pathway a succeeding, second, substantially horizontally oriented pathway, thus enabling a length of line to be passed from the winch unit through the pathway system in the mooring structure to the mooring point concerned on the outside of the mooring structure.
• the winch unit is placed below deck, and will thereby not occupy space on deck. Above all it helps to prevent mooring lines from being left lying on deck when not in use. In addition, both the line and the winches will be protected against wind and weather when they are stored/kept below deck.
• the mooring structure is T-shaped with rounded edges, for example in the form of a bollard. This is preferred since it enables the mooring structure to be combined with a standard mooring point on the boat.
• the mooring unit may be provided with a pulley or the like in the transition between the vertical pathway and the horizontal pathway, over which the line is passed in order to avoid unnecessary friction wear on the line, and resulting in a continuous transfer of the line from the winch system to the mooring point.
• the transition between the horizontal pathway and the vertical pathway may be rounded, thus facilitating the passage of the line through the mooring structure.
• the mooring structure may furthermore consist of connected pipes which may be in the form of a gooseneck, with the result that the part of the pipe which runs through the deck is substantially vertical, while the pipe section which is above deck is designed in such a manner that the pipe points down towards the surface of the water in the direction of the mooring point concerned.
• the mooring structure may also be provided with stoppers preferably on two sides of the line for securing the line. By compressing a spring, the stoppers may be locked, thus firmly wedging the line between the two stoppers in order to avoid uncontrolled paying out of the line.
• the outlet of the horizontal pathway may be designed with rounded edges in order to protect the surface of the line, particularly if the line is forced to run from the outlet at an angle viewed in relation to the horizontal pathway's central axis.
• the horizontal pathway may also be through-going, thus enabling the line to be passed out of the mooring structure at both ends of the horizontal pathway.
• the mooring structure moreover, may have several through-going pathway systems, thus permitting several lines to be handled simultaneously in the mooring structure.
• the drive device for passing a length of line through the mooring structure is preferably of a known type, consisting of a winch unit comprising a winch drum or traction disc, an electric or hydraulic winch motor, e.g.
• the winch drum or traction disc and the winch motor are fixed to a plate which is connected to a mounting bracket arranged substantially perpendicularly on the end edge of the plate, where the mounting bracket is fixed to the underside of the deck floor by through-going bolts and is designed with a hole for passing through the line on the bottom of the mooring unit.
• the vertical pathway may extend from the mooring structure, on down through the deck floor and through the hole in the mounting bracket, thus enabling the line to be passed directly by the winch drum into the vertical pathway.
• the winch unit in connection with each mooring unit will be able to be controlled from a centrally located unit and physical presence at the winch unit is no longer required.
• a boat which is equipped with a mooring system in which one or more mooring units are included, which mooring units are remotely controlled from the central unit according to the present invention, will be able to achieve an optimal mooring position relative to wind and weather in an easy and efficient manner. Remotely controlling the mooring units in this way does not prevent the individual mooring unit from being operated locally by local control of the mooring unit.
• the mooring system according to the present invention for mooring boats includes a control unit for operating two or more mooring units for boats, preferably leisure boats with a deck, each including a mooring structure, designed, for example, in the form of a bollard, which is placed on the boat's deck and one or more winch units for mooring line, which are mounted below the boat's deck.
• the mooring units are characterized in that the mooring structure is designed with a through-going pathway system between the underside of the deck at the mooring structure and the outside of the mooring structure, where a first substantially vertical pathway is provided in the mooring structure and at the inner end of the pathway a succeeding second substantially horizontally oriented pathway, thus enabling the length of line to be passed from the winch unit through the pathway system in the mooring structure to the mooring point concerned on the outside of the mooring structure.
• the invention's different embodiments are indicated in connection with the above description of the mooring unit.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mooring unit illustrating how the mooring structure and the winch unit are connected.
• Figure 2 is a vertical section of the mooring structure, illustrating the mooring structure's pathway system and pulleys.
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the external design of the mooring structure.
• Figure 4 illustrates a horizontal section of the mooring structure.
• Figure 5 is a perspective detailed view of an embodiment of the stoppers for locking the line.
• FIG 1 there is illustrated a mooring unit according to the present invention and its main components, which are substantially a mooring structure 1 and a winch unit 8.
• the mooring structure is placed on the boat's deck (not shown), while the winch unit is placed below the boat's deck (not shown).
• the winch unit 8 is of a commonly known type, consisting substantially of a traction disc 9 and a winch machine 10, which will preferably be an electromotor.
• the winch unit 8 is also preferably equipped with a load alarm, brake and means for disengaging the traction disc 9.
• the traction disc 9, furthermore, is designed in such a manner that it brings the line along over parts of a rotational revolution at its periphery in order to pull the line into the boat.
• the winch is a so-called “free fall type", which means that the traction disc or the winch drum is disengaged at the outlet of the line with the result that the line is pulled out by its own weight or by external forces, while the winch only pulls the line in.
• the traction disc 9 and the winch motor 10 may be arranged on each side of a plate 11.
• a mounting bracket 12 arranged nernendic ⁇ larlv on the nlate 1
• the mnnnfinp hrar.kpf 19 ⁇ ' g designed with a hole 13 through which a line will be passed from the traction disc 9 and up through the mooring structure 1.
• the pathway system for passing the line through to the mooring point, as illustrated in figure 2.
• the pathway system consists in a first vertical pathway 3 into which the length of line is first passed. At its upper end the vertical pathway passes into a second, horizontal pathway 2. The length of line is passed on through this horizontal pathway and out through the outlet 6 towards the mooring point.
• the horizontal pathway 2 may be through-going, thus enabling the line to be passed out of both ends of the horizontal pathway 2. This embodiment is not illustrated.
• the vertical pathway 3 may extend from the mooring structure, on through the deck floor and through the hole 13 in the vertical pathway 3. This embodiment is not illustrated.
• Figure 1 also shows that the mooring structure 1 is equipped with stoppers 4, which are located near the outlet 6 of the horizontal pathway.
• the stoppers 4 are intended to secure the line in a specific position when the winch unit is switched off or disengaged and the desired mooring position has been achieved.
• the stoppers are therefore an additional safeguard against the line being paid out, in addition to which in most embodiments the winch is of such a type that the winch motor and the traction disc or the winch drum restrain the line when the winch is stopped, thus preventing the line from being released.
• the stoppers are designed in such a manner that they only prevent the line from being released.
• Figure 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention where the mooring structure is in the form of a bollard.
• the mooring structure may consist of connected pipes, which may, e.g., be in the form of a gooseneck, thus causing a part of the pipe to run through the deck and be vertical, while the pipe section which is mounted above deck is designed in such a manner that the pipe points down towards the surface of the water.
• Figure 2 illustrates a section of the mooring structure in figure 1.
• the section has been made in the vertical direction and shows the mooring structure from the side.
• the figure shows that a pulley 5 is mounted in the transition between the vertical pathway 3 and the horizontal pathway 2.
• the transition between the vertical pathway 3 and the horizontal pathway 2 may be rounded, thus enabling the line to be passed through the pathway system without wear and tear and without the necessity of providing the pathway system with extra equipment such as, e.g. pulleys 5.
• the use of a pulley 5 as illustrated in figure 2 does not prevent the transition between the horizontal and the vertical pathways from also being rounded in shape.
• Figure 3 is a three-dimensional view of the mooring structure from the outside.
• the figure shows that the horizontal pathway's outlet 6 has been given a shape with rounded edges in order to protect the surface of the line. This design is particularly advantageous if the line is forced to run out from the outlet 6 at an angle viewed in relation to the horizontal pathway's 2 central axis.
• the stoppers 4 are shown mounted near the horizontal pathway's outlet 6 in the mooring structure 1.
• the two stoppers 4 are placed in a through- going recess which intersects the horizontal pathway 2 approximately perpendicularly and which has an opening towards the environment on each side of the horizontal pathway 2.
• the stoppers 4 are thereby arranged on each side of the horizontal pathway 2, and when they are placed in a locked position, they will secure the length of line, which is passed through the horizontal pathway 2, preventing it from being pulled out.
• the stoppers are rotatably fixed in the recesses by bolts, which are passed through from the outside and through the wall of the mooring structure. This is best illustrated in figure 2.
• the stoppers 6 have a substantially rounded shape, which at one end is in the form of an outwardly projecting lug and where the other end has been given a grooved surface, which will ensure a good grip on the length of line.
• the lugs 4' protrude outside the mooring structure's outer surface. A simple manual movement will enable the stoppers to be brought into the locked position by moving the lugs inwards in the recess.
• the two stoppers 4 are connected by a spring 7, which is best illustrated in figure 5.
• the mooring structure 1 may be arranged with several parallel pathway systems, thus enabling several lines to be handled simultaneously in the mooring structure 1.
• Two or more such mooring units may also form part of a mooring system where the mooring units can be controlled from a centrally located unit.
• one mooring unit will be mounted on each side of the bow and one mooring unit astern on each side of the boat. This will provide excellent control when mooring the boat since all four corners can be positioned individually.
• the operator When the mooring units are remotely controlled the operator will be able to transmit signals from the control unit to the winch units, thus enabling the lines to be tightened or slackened as required.
• the mooring units may also be manually operated.
• the winch unit 8 When the winch unit 8 is disengaged relative to the traction disc and the stoppers 4 are released from the line, the line can be hauled through the mooring structure and then firmly but releasably arranged in a desired position by the stoppers 4 again being secured to the line and/or the winch unit locked.
• the fact that the mooring structure 1 is used for passing the lines through from a winch unit 8 out to a mooring point does not prevent the mooring structure 1 from also being used for normal mooring where a line can be made fast round the outside of the mooring structure 1.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Conveying And Assembling Of Building Elements In Situ (AREA)
• Telephone Function (AREA)

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• 2001
  • 2001-01-18 NO NO20010304A patent/NO316679B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-09-28 WO PCT/NO2001/000399 patent/WO2002057128A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2001-09-28 EP EP01975053A patent/EP1360106A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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