Material or article handling – Marine loading or unloading system – Marine vessel to/from shore
Patent
1995-10-25
1998-02-03
Merritt, Karen B.
Material or article handling
Marine loading or unloading system
Marine vessel to/from shore
114350, B63B 3800
Patent
active
057137102
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to the transfer of personnel and/or equipment, for example between vessels at sea. Existing methods of achieving transfer have significant limitations in terms of safety and practicality. Such operations are particularly sensitive to weather. This invention offers a system which reduces the risks associated with transfer in a range of weather conditions.
In this field it is already known that there are several methods of transfer, which include those outlined below.
The main method currently used for transfer of personnel between offshore oil rigs and support vessels is a rigid bottomed rope basket. The basket is usually transferred using a crane line.
This has the disadvantage that personnel are not secured in the basket and are not protected in any way from lateral or vertical impact during lifting, setting down or in transit.
As it swings over the vessel moving with sea swell, the crane hook and lifting gear presents serious risk to personnel on the support vessel. Furthermore, there is no contingency to protect personnel in the event of accidental immersion or severance.
Due to the perceived hazards of this type of transfer it is no longer generally used in open water in the UKCS (United Kingdom continental shelf), but it is used between vessels in sheltered water.
A second method of transfer is a ladder transfer. In this method the smaller craft draws alongside the larger craft and personnel are transferred by means of a ladder on the side of the larger craft. Due to the relative motions of the vessels at sea, this requires personnel to "hop" across at an opportune moment.
This has the disadvantage that it is highly weather constrained and generally precarious in terms of safety.
A third method of transfer is a breeches buoy system. This is a traditionally used system for transferring personnel or equipment between marine vessels. It is mainly utilised in rescue operations.
This has the disadvantage that the transfer is generally precarious add is vulnerable to operator error.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, apparatus for transferring objects from first location to a second location comprises a transfer device adapted to be coupled to a lifting device, the transfer device comprising an outer structure which defines an inner space in which an object to be transferred may be located and securing means to secure the object to the transfer device during transfer.
Typically, the object may be a person and the securing means could comprise a seat and/or a harness. Preferably, the harness is a full body harness.
Preferably, the outer structure could be in the form of a cage which is typically substantially rigid to help protect the object being transferred.
Typically, the first and/or the second location could be a floating structure.
Preferably, where a part of the transfer is over water, the transfer device may also include buoyancy means. Typically, the transfer device may be designed to be self-righting.
Typically, the transfer device may further include shock absorbing means for absorbing impacts of the transfer device with other objects. The shock absorbing means may include shock absorbers on the base of the outer structure to absorb the shock of landing at the first and/or second locations. The securing means could also be mounted in the outer structure by shock absorbing means to help reduce the effects of accidental or deliberate collision on the object being transferred. Furthermore the transfer device may include a shock absorbing coupling to couple the transfer device to the lifting device.
Preferably, the apparatus may also include a guide line coupled to the transfer device which may be used to guide the transfer device to the second location.
Typically, the lifting device is a crane.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a transporting device comprises a base section and a number of side walls, the side walls extending from the base to a common apex, the base section and the side walls defining an interior space in whic
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Catherall Roger John
Strong Philip Anton
Hess Douglas
Merritt Karen B.
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