Ships – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-30
2003-11-11
Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3617)
Ships
Miscellaneous
C441S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06644234
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a holding apparatus for a floating hose for holding a floating hose which is used for loading and offloading a floating unit on the water which produces or stores crude petroleum or gas and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Floating units on the water such as a FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading unit) or a FSRU (Floating Storage and Re-gasification Unit) are provided with long floating hoses, and loading and offloading of liquefied natural gas, liquefied propane gas, or crude petroleum between the units and tankers are performed by the floating hoses. When the floating hoses are not used, each hose is left floating on the water after it was released from the tanker, or is lifted up and left on the deck of the floating unit, or is lifted up and stacked on the deck as a plurality of hose segments which are provided by dividing the floating hose. In addition, the floating hose which has been lifted up on the deck, is not stowed or anchored on the deck.
However, in case that the floating hose is left on the water, crude petroleum which remains in the hose may leak out, or the floating hose may be damaged by being struck by ships or by the shock from waves in stormy weather, and crude petroleum or gas may escape from damaged hose when the loading or offloading is performed. Furthermore, the washing operation for the floating hose is not easy and waste fluid which was produced by the washing may leak out from a washing unit for the floating hose.
Meanwhile, in the case in which the floating hose is lifted up on the deck, the operation for lifting up all the floating hose, which is very long, requires a great deal of labor, and it is necessary to provide a large space on the deck to store the floating hose which has been lifted up. When the floating hose is divided into hose segments and is stacked on the deck, they can be stored within a relatively small space; however, the hose may be damaged during the operations for dividing the floating hose into the hose segments or for stacking the hose segments. Furthermore, since the hose segments are stacked on the same place, it is difficult to inspect each hose segment, and it is difficult to remove a damaged hose segment among the stacked hose segments when damaged hose segment is found as a result of an inspection. Moreover, the floating hose on the deck may be damaged and disturb other operations on the deck since the floating hose is not stowed or anchored and moves on the deck according to the motions of the floating unit in stormy weather.
The present invention is provided in consideration to the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a holding apparatus for a floating hose which holds the floating hose in order to prevent damage to the floating hose and the leaking out of waste which remains in the floating hose without requiring a large space. Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a holding apparatus for a floating hose which prevents the movement of the floating hose on the deck and easily enables inspection and removal of damaged hose segments without requiring a large space when all of the floating hose is lifted up on the deck.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a holding apparatus for a floating hose which holds the floating hose which is provided with a floating unit when the floating hose is not used.
That is, the holding apparatus for a floating hose in a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a hose lifting device which lifts up the floating hose on the floating unit; a hose dividing device which divides the floating hose into a plurality of hose segments; a hose transfer device which transfers the hose segments; and a hose rack which holds the hose segments which were transferred by the hose transfer device.
According to the holding apparatus for a floating hose, since the long floating hose is divided by the hose segments and is stowed and anchored in the hose rack, the floating hose does not move on the deck when the floating unit moves in stormy weather. Furthermore, the space for storing the floating hose is reduced. In addition, since the hose segments are stowed in the hose rack without being directly stacked one on the other, damage to stowed hose segments can be prevented, and the hose segments can be easily inspected and removed. Moreover, a variety of hose segments can be managed with high efficiency by using the hose rack.
When each hose segment has flanges on both ends thereof and the floating hose is provided by connecting the hose segments by joining the flanges to each other, it is preferable that the hose dividing device have a hose segment supporting device which supports one of the connected hose segments and a traction device which pulls the other of the connected hose segments.
In this case, since the hose dividing device supports one of the connected hose segments and pulls the other of the connected hose segments, the floating hose can be divided with high efficiency while preventing the fall of the hose segment into the sea.
Furthermore, it is preferable that a plurality of hose racks which can be piled up one atop the other be provided.
In this case, the space for storing the floating hose can be further reduced by piling up hose racks one atop the other.
The holding apparatus for a floating hose according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises: a hose lifting device which lifts up an end portion of the floating hose; and a hose end holding device which holds the end portion of the floating hose which was lifted up by the hose lifting device.
According to the holding apparatus for a floating hose, by lifting up and holding the end of the floating hose, the floating hose can be held with the floating unit without providing a large space, and damage of the floating hose and the leakage of waste which remains in the floating hose can be prevented.
In the holding apparatus for a floating hose, when a flange is provided on an end of the floating hose, it is preferable that the hose lifting device have a davit which is provided on the floating unit, a jib which is swingably provided on the davit and hangs the flange, and a lifter which lifts up the flange which was hung by the jib; and the hose end holding device is a flange holding device which holds the flange which was transferred to a predetermined position by the jib.
In this case, since the jib can be stowed in the floating unit by swinging the davit around, the space for the jib is saved and damage to the jib is prevented. Furthermore, since the floating hose is easily held by holding the flange which is provided on the end of the floating hose at the predetermined position located on the swinging path of the jib, the operability of the holding apparatus for a floating hose is improved.
Furthermore, in the holding apparatus for a floating hose, it is preferable that the floating unit have a receptacle and that the hose end holding device have a connector which connects the end of the floating hose to the receptacle.
In this case, the floating hose forms a closed loop by connecting another end of the floating hose in which one end thereof is connected with the floating unit to the receptacle. As a result, the floating hose can be held without the crude petroleum or waste which remains in the floating hose leaking, and a washing operation for the floating hose can be performed with high efficiency.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3742536 (1973-07-01), Sada et al.
patent: 3766938 (1973-10-01), Stracke et al.
patent: 3945497 (1976-03-01), Greenberg
patent: 4446892 (1984-05-01), Maxwell
patent: 5803779 (1998-09-01), Horton, III
Awashima Yuji
Itabashi Masahiro
Kawabata Masaaki
Kochi Kenji
Nakashima Yuji
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd.
Swinehart Ed
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