Bridges – Gangway – ramp – or dock leveler – Attached
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-18
2001-12-18
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3673)
Bridges
Gangway, ramp, or dock leveler
Attached
C014S071300, C014S069500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330726
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field
This invention relates to movable bridge systems for transferring passengers and cargo between a building or structure and a movable vehicle and, more particularly, to a movable bridge or gangway system for transferring passengers and cargo between a ship and a pier facility.
2. State of the Art
Passenger boarding or loading bridges or platforms are known to connect to a terminal structure and extend outwardly for connection to a vehicle. Such devices or structures maybe found at airports servicing large jet airplanes. Commercial units can be purchased from the Jetway Systems group of FMC Corporation located in Odgen, Utah. The bridge connects to the terminal and extends away toward the airplane. The bridge typically has a mechanism near its end that allows the outward end to be extended telescopically and to be moved radially as well as vertically to service or connect to airplanes having doors at differing heights and locations as well as to adjust to the location of an airplane that may not be parked where desired to facilitate connection with the bridge.
Bridges for transferring passengers are known to have telescoping sections as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,204 (Schoenberger et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,757 (Mitchell et al.). Wheel arrangements are associated with the outward end to allow an operator to reposition the outward end, causing the telescoping sections to move relative to each other as needed. Radial movement of the outward end of a passenger bridge is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,376 (Saunders) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,049 (Saunders et al.).
Passenger transfer for vehicles that include ships involves structure to interconnect between the vehicle and a stationary transfer location. For example, ships move up and down relative to a pier with the tides and as the ship or vessel is loaded. Ships may change position along the pier not only with the tide but also based on wind and wave action and as a result of wakes from other vessels passing nearby. Also ships and vessels may vary in size and configuration so that the transfer point for passengers is widely disparate.
Cruise ships as a class involve the transfer of large numbers of passengers. Cruise ships may also have different transfer points or areas for passengers. The transfer points may be at different heights and at different locations along the length of the ship. Traditional brow or gangway systems have been found to be insufficient or inadequate because they may have stairs such as those seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,803 (Sugita).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,003 (Streeter et al.) discloses a system having a single bridge or platform for transferring passengers between a terminal building with multiple levels and a ship. The bridge or platform is moved from one level of the terminal to another to control the angle of the walkway or tunnel for the transfer of passengers between the terminal and a ship. Thus, the Streeter et al. arrangement requires a terminal to have multiple levels which could require duplication of facilities in the terminal. Further, the terminal must be relatively close to the edge of the pier and, in turn, the ship because the length of an unsupported walkway or tunnel is limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A bridge system is provided for movement of passengers and baggage or cargo between a location at a passenger terminal having multiple levels and a passenger transfer location on a vehicle such as a ship. The passenger transfer location on the vehicle varies in height between a first level and a second level spaced above the first. The passenger terminal has multiple levels with the bridge system connected at an elevated level above the ground.
The bridge system includes a vestibule for attachment to the elevated level of the passenger terminal. The vestibule has a vestibule transport surface extending away from the passenger terminal which is positionable for the transfer of passengers between the vestibule transport surface and the elevated level of the terminal.
A first bridge unit has a first end and a second end. The first bridge unit is rotatably attached to the vestibule proximate the first end thereof. The first bridge unit is rotatable to a selected one of a plurality of first bridge unit positions. The first bridge unit has a first transport surface extending substantially between said first end and said second end. The first end of the first transport surface is positioned proximate the vestibule transport surface for the transfer of passengers between said first transport surface and said vestibule transport surface.
The second end of said first bridge unit is rotatably attached to a rotunda assembly. The rotunda assembly has a rotunda transport surface positioned for the transfer of passengers between said first transport surface and said rotunda transport surface. Elevation means is attached to the rotunda assembly for moving the rotunda assembly to one of a plurality of rotunda positions relative to and above the ground level.
A second bridge unit also has a first end and a second end. The first end of the second bridge unit is rotatably attached to the rotunda assembly. Therefore, the second bridge unit may move to a selected one of a plurality of positions relative to the horizontal. The second bridge unit has a second transport surface extending substantially between the first end and the second end thereof. The second transport surface is positioned for the transfer of passengers between the rotunda transport surface and the second transport surface.
Driving means is positioned proximate the second end of said second bridge unit for moving the second end of said second bridge unit to a selected one of a plurality of positions between a lower position and an elevated position above ground level. The driving means may also be operated for moving the second bridge unit radially and telescopically about the rotunda assembly.
The bridge system also includes brow means for transferring passengers between the second bridge unit and the vehicle. The brow means has a first end and a second end with a brow transport surface extending substantially therebetween. The first end of the brow means is connected proximate the second end of the second bridge unit for the transfer of passengers between the second transport surface and the brow transport surface. The second end of the brow means is configured to contact the vehicle proximate a passenger transfer location for the transfer of passengers between the brow transport surface and the vehicle.
The elevation means of the rotunda assembly is operable to move the rotunda assembly vertically and, in turn, cause the first bridge unit to move relative to the vestibule. The driving means is operable for radially moving the rotunda assembly and for moving the second bridge unit telescopically and vertically. Movement of the rotunda assembly vertically and the driving means (vertically, radially and telescopically) is effected to position the second end of the brow means at the passenger transfer location while maintaining the angles of inclination of the passenger transport surfaces as desired.
Preferably, the first level is the ground level proximate the terminal. The vestibule desirably has a vertical support extending from a support surface such as the ground level to the vestibule. The vertical support is positioned to vertically support the vestibule. Even more preferably, the vestibule support surface is substantially horizontal.
In a preferred arrangement, the first bridge unit rotates about a first pivot proximate the vestibule between a first bridge unit first position in which the first transport surface is at a first angle to extend downwardly below horizontal to a first bridge unit second position in which the first transport surface is at a second angle to extend upwardly above horizontal.
It is also preferred that the elevation means be operable to move the rotunda assembly between a rotunda assembly first position in which the first bridge unit is in its first bridge unit first posit
Beazer Eric Peter
Hone George Dean
West Glen Orval
FMC Corporation
Hartmann Gary S.
TraskBritt PC
Will Thomas B.
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