Ships – Towing or pushing – Coupling means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-29
2003-09-02
Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3641)
Ships
Towing or pushing
Coupling means
C114S248000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06612253
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of marine transport and more specifically to barge cargo transport. In particular, the present invention relates to connected or articulated tug and barge units, also known as articulated pusher boat and barge units.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Articulated tug and barge units have long been used to transport various types of cargo in oceans, rivers, lakes and harbors. A conventional articulated tug and barge unit is commonly coupled together through the use of a ram assembly that extends from the tug into a cavity within a stern notch of the barge. As is shown if
FIGS. 1 and 2
, tug
14
enters stern notch
12
of barge
10
. Vertical channels or receivers
18
are bilaterally mounted within stern notch
12
. Upon entry into stern notch
12
, a pair of axially aligned rams
16
are extended from opposite sides of tug
14
into channels
18
to provide a virtually unbreakable connection between tug
14
and barge
10
. Limiting the relative movement between the tug and barge to only one degree of freedom upon coupling significantly reduces the potential for damage to both the tug and the barge and also increases the ability of the tug to control the barge. Therefore, most ram assemblies of the type shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
provide for relative pitch movement between the tug and the barge while at the same time preventing any relative roll and yaw movement between the tug and the barge.
One prior art ram assembly for mounting on tug
14
is shown in
FIGS. 3 through 5
. The operation of the particular coupling unit shown in
FIGS. 3 through 5
is fully discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,507 to Kuhlman, et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Referring to
FIG. 3
, each receiver or channel
18
is a cast member which is recessed into hull
20
surrounding stern notch
12
of barge
10
(FIG.
2
). Each channel
18
has fore and aft walls which converge slightly as they extend inwardly. Flat base
26
connects the walls. Each wall is provided with a series of teeth which are spaced uniformly apart along the entire length of the channel. The teeth are equal in size and are uniformly spaced to balance the forces that are applied and minimize multiple angle planes of contact.
Coupling units
16
, which are installed on the opposite sides of tug
14
, are identical to one another. Each coupling unit includes cylindrical housing
30
formed of rolled steel plate and having a wall thickness sized to provide considerable strength and rigidity. A pair of circular mounting flanges
32
are welded or otherwise secured to the outer surface of housing
30
and are reinforced by gusset plates
34
. Flanges
32
are welded or otherwise suitably connected in rigid fashion with hull
36
of tug
14
. Flanges
32
can be suitably spaced to conform with the hull configuration. In this manner, each housing is mounted on the side of tug
14
with the open end of the housing facing outwardly.
Each housing
30
receives a ram which can be extended out of, and retracted into, the housing. Rams
38
are in axial alignment with one another. Each ram has a cylindrical wall which is preferably formed of steel. Ram
38
is carried in cylindrical bushing
40
which is fitted in the outer end portion of housing
30
. The bushing provides a large bearing surface and permits the ram to extend and retract as necessary. Bushing
40
has a cavity which receives a packing arrangement
42
formed by a plurality of packing rings. The packing contacts housing
30
and ram
38
to prevent the entry of sea water and other contaminants.
As best shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
, the leading or outer end of each ram carries a head which is formed by cast component
44
mounted on a solid steel ball. Ball
46
has neck portion
48
which is welded or otherwise secured to annular flange
50
projecting inwardly from the wall of ram
38
. A plurality of gusset plates
52
serve to reinforce ram
38
and its connection with the head.
The opposite sides of head
44
are tapered to conform with the taper of the fore and aft walls of channel
18
. The tapered sides of the head are each provided with a plurality of teeth having the same size and spacing as the teeth on the walls of the channel. When the head of each ram is extended into the channel, ram teeth
54
mate with the channel teeth to prevent the heads of the rams from moving vertically within the channels.
Head
44
is mounted on ball
46
for limited pivotal movement about mutually perpendicular axes. Ears
56
project outwardly from flange
50
and receive axially aligned guide pins
58
which are secured to the ears by screws
59
. Guide pins
58
project inwardly from ears
56
and are received in bushings
60
. Bushings
60
are in turn closely received in slots
62
which are formed in the top and bottom portions of head
44
and which are generally parallel to the ram axis. Split retainer ring
64
retains head
44
on ball
46
and is secured to the head by screws
66
.
Guide pins
58
establish a vertical axis about which head
44
can pivot in limited fashion on ball
46
. The inside surface of head
44
contacts beveled surfaces
70
on the front face of ball
46
to limit the pivotal movement of the head in both directions about pins
58
. The fit of bushings
60
in slots
62
permits head
44
to similarly pivot in limited fashion about a horizontal axis. The front face of ball
46
is provided with beveled surfaces
70
which limit the extent to which head
44
can pivot on the ball about the horizontal pivot axis. Both the horizontal and vertical pivot axes for the head pass through the center of ball
46
. The close fit of bushings
60
in slots
62
assures that the head cannot rotate on the ball about an axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of ram
38
. Consequently, rotational movement of ram
38
about its axis is transferred by guide pins
58
to the head
44
. Lubrication passages
72
extend through ball
46
to provide lubrication.
Ram
38
is extended and retracted by a large, solid, actuator shaft or screw
74
having external threads
76
. Screw
74
extends along the axis of ram
38
and is supported for rotation by roller bearings
78
and
80
and by a large spherical roller thrust bearing
82
which receives the end of the actuator screw. Bearings
80
and
82
are located adjacent to one another and are retained within tail section
83
of gear box
84
. Gear box
84
is secured to housing
30
and essentially forms a continuation thereof Circumferential flanges
86
and
88
are formed on the adjacent ends of gear box
84
and housing
30
, respectively. The outer edge of retainer plate
90
is sandwiched between flanges
86
and
88
. Plate
90
and flanges
86
and
88
are secured together by screws (not shown) or in any other suitable manner. Bearing
78
is mounted to retainer plate
90
.
With reference to
FIG. 4
in particular, actuator screw
74
extends through ring
92
having internal threads that mate with external threads
76
of the screw. Ring
92
is formed as an integral part of ram
38
and is connected with the wall of the ram by a pair of apertured plates
94
. Actuator screw
74
is received within steel tube
96
which is secured to and projects outwardly from ring
92
.
Actuator screw
74
is driven in normal operation by a pair of electric motors,
98
and
100
. Motor
98
is a low speed, high torque motor mounted on platform
102
secured to gear box
84
. Motor
100
is a high speed, low torque motor mounted on platform
104
secured to the gear box
84
.
Low speed motor
98
drives gear reducer
105
having output shaft
106
which connects through pneumatic clutch
108
with pinion
110
. Pinion
110
is supported by bearings
112
and drives larger gear
114
which is mounted on the same shaft as pinion
116
. Bull gear
118
is mounted on actuator screw
74
and is driven by pinion
116
.
Also connected with pinion
110
are a pair of air motors,
119
and
120
, which are used for emergency extension and retraction of the
Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP
Swinehart Ed
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