Floating construction assembled from several parts

Abstract: 1. Floating construction as for example a pontoon, a vessel, a pontoon-bridge or a similar floating construction, assembled from several box-like floating units (1a, 1b, 1c, 2, 3) which are rigidly but removably connected to each other by coupling means (4) comprising a connecting rod-construction, the connecting rod (8) of which extends through bores or slots (6, 6a) in adjacent connecting blocks (5a, 5b), which blocks are fastened at corresponding positions to the planes to be connected with each other of the floating units (1a, 1b, 1c, 2 and 3). An intermediate element (12) is present between these connecting blocks and around the connecting rod (8), the side planes (17, 18) of which under loaded condition are adjustable or deformable in such a way, that these side planes can adjust themselves to the position of the contact planes (19, 20) of the connecting blocks coacting with the intermediate element.

Description: The invention relates to a floating construction in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. Such a construction is known by US-A-4 453 488. In case of this known construction resilient compression cushion members are disposed on the connecting rods by which the units are connected to each other. So the units will move in respect of each other when they are floating on the water. This will give rise to difficulties when the parts of one apparatus are supported by more than one unit. Now the object of the invention is to modify the known construction such that a stiff connection between the units is obtained so that said units cannot move in respect of each other while nevertheless the axes of the various connecting rods, connecting two units, need not be parallel to each other. According to the invention this object is achieved by applying the feature indicated in the characterizing part of the main claim. According to the invention it is preferred that the connecting rod is secured with a certain pretension. Through this, due to the greater friction higher transverse forces can be taken up by the connection. The adjustment of the side planes of the intermediate element to the contact planes of the connecting blocks coacting therewith can be attained in several ways. According to the invention the intermediate element can at least at the position of the side planes be manufactured from a softer material than the material of the contact planes of the connecting blocks coacting with the intermediate element. In order to accommodate greater transverse forces in the connection, according to a further development of the invention the side planes of the intermediate element, which coact with the contact planes of the connecting blocks, can be provided with grooves, irregularities or friction material. With connections where the coupling means is mounted at least on or near the four corners of the planes of the floating units to be connected according to a further development of the invention with each of the planes to be connected at least one of the coupling means lying above water can be provided with an adjusting element adjacent the intermediate element by which the space between the planes that are to be connected with each other can be filled up. In this way the extra clearances can be accommodated which can arise in that the connection between both floating units is statically overdetermined. The adjusting element can be in the form of an adjusting ring the thickness of which above water can be measured after the three other joints have been secured. It is for example also conceivable to form the adjustable element as a wedge construction with which for example a forked wedge is slid over the connecting rod and with which the sloping side of the wedge can coact with a side plane of the intermediate element which has a corresponding slope. A particularly advantageous embodiment of the floating construction is obtained when the coupling means further consists of identical, prefabricated and essentially cubical connecting blocks, which are provided with three bores or slots extending in the main directions of the block and being at right angles to each other for receiving the connecting rod with a large play. Through this the connecting blocks can advantageously be manufactured in large series and with one standard connecting block coupling in the three main directions is possible, namely in the horizontal plane, in longitudinal direction and in transverse direction and in vertical direction with the stacking and coupling of the units. According to a further development of the invention in each case one of both floating units to be connected is provided with an with respect to this floating unit watertight closed space, adjacent to the connecting block, for receiving the end portion of the connecting rod as well as the holding means for the axial fixation of this rod. Said holding means can be in the form of, for example, a hammer-like head of a tee bolt, but it can also consist of a loose nut which is locked against rotation by means of a locking element. The other end of the connecting rod opposite to the closed space can be provided with sealing means with respect to the bore in the connecting block. By both of these features it is achieved that connections below water level are also possible without the floating units being filled up with water. The invention will now be described in more detail by means of embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatical plan view of a floating construction according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a side elevation view of the construction according to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows one detail of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 shows a sectional view on a more enlarged scale according to the line IV-IV of the secured connection in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the connecting blocks, at which on behalf of the clarity certain parts have been omitted. Figs. 1 and 2 show a floating construction in the form of a pontoon, assembled from three identical box-like units 1a, 1b and 1c, which for example can be of standard container dimensions, as well as from end units 2 and 3. The assembling units are rigidly but removably connected head-to-head with each other into an entirety through coupling means 4. In this embodiment the coupling means consists of four pairs of identical, prefabricated and essentially cubical connecting blocks 5, which are mounted on or near the corners of the floating units at corresponding positions of the planes to be connected and which are provided with bores 6 or slots 7 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5) for receiving with a large play a connecting rod 8, which is provided with screwthread at both ends, by which the adjacent connecting blocks are connected to each other. As shown in Fig. 3 the bores 6 or slots 7 extend through the connecting blocks 5 in three main directions 9, 10 and 11 being at right angles to each other, so that the floating units can be coupled to each other in three directions, namely head-to-head, side-by-side and on top of each other. Fig. 4 shows in section and in more detail one of the four joints between two adjacent floating units 1a and 1b. Between the adjacent connecting blocks 5a and 5b an intermediate element 12 is present around the connecting rod 8. In transverse direction this intermediate element is divided into two discs 13, 14 of which the contact surfaces 15, 16 facing each other are formed complementary spherical. Because of this, the side planes 17, 18 of the intermediate element 12 can adjust themselves to the position of the contact planes 19, 20 of the connecting blocks coacting with the intermediate element. Alternatively, as shown in this embodiment, this adjustment can take place at the right side through an adjusting ring 21. These adjustment properties can also be obtained by forming the intermediate element 12 as a bush or a ring that is manufactured from a soft material. In order to be able to take up greater transverse forces in the connection, the side planes 17, 18 of the intermediate element can be provided with grooves, irregularities or friction material, which is not further illustrated in the drawing. In order to be able to take up even larger clearances and deviations, which can occur for example with the securing of the fourth joint due to the statically over-determined character of the connection, an adjusting member 21 can be provided next to the intermediate element, by which the space between both planes 19, 20 to be connected can be filled up. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 the adjustment member consists of an adjustment ring or a filling ring 21, the thickness of which can be measured above water after the three joints have been secured. It is naturally also conceivable that one of the discs 13, 14 should have to be slightly turned off. Figure 4 further shows a watertight closed space 22, being adjacent to the connecting block 5a and serving to receive the end portion 23 of the connecting rod 8 as well as for the holding means 24 for the axial fixation of this rod. In this embodiment the holding means consists of a nut 24 which is locked against rotation by means of a U-shaped locking element 25. At the other side the connecting rod 8 is provided with sealing means 26 in relation to the bore 6 in the connecting block 5b. Instead of a connecting rod, also a tee bolt could for example be applied. In that case, as shown in Figure 5, one of both connecting blocks is provided with slots 7 for leading through the hammer-like head. With the coupling of two floating units by means of four joints, usually for three of the four joints no adjusting members 21 will be used. During the coupling, the conical end portion 23 of the connecting rod 8 projects in the starting position slightly past the intermediate element 12, as illustrated in Fig. 4 with a broken line. The intermediate element can be locked on the connecting rod against loss with the aid of a breaking pin, which is not shown. After the connecting block 5a with its bore 6a has been brought in front of the hole in relation to the bore 6 in the connecting block 5a, the rod 8 is hit through the bore 6a with a hammer whereby said breaking pin breaks off. Then the outermost end of the rod 8 is screwed into the nut 24. After this the connecting rod is brought under the required pretension by means of a hydraulic lifting jack at the other side, whereupon the nut 27 is secured. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described in the foregoing, which can be varied in several ways within the scope of the invention.

Claims: Floating construction as for example a pontoon, a vessel, a pontoon-bridge or a similar floating construction, assembled from several box-like floating units (1a,1b,1c,2,3) which are removable connected to each other by coupling means comprising a connecting rod-construction the connecting rod (8) of which extends with a wide clearance through bores or slots (6,6a) in adjacent connecting blocks (5a,5b), which blocks are fastened at corresponding positions to the surfaces of the floating units (1a,1b,1c,2,3) which have to be connected to each other, an intermediate element (12) being present between these connecting blocks and around the connecting rod (8), the side surfaces of which intermediate element (12), under loaded condition, can adjust themselves to the position of the contact surfaces of the connecting blocks coacting with said element, characterized in that as seen in transverse direction the intermediate element (12) is divided into two or more discs (13,14) the facing contact surfaces (15,16) of which are formed complementary spherical. Floating construction according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting rod (8) is secured with a certain pretension. Floating construction according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the intermediate element (12) at least at the position of the side planes (17, 18) is manufactured from a softer material than the material of the contact planes (19, 20) of the connecting blocks (5a, 5b), which contact planes coact with the intermediate element. Floating construction according to one of the claims 1 - 4, characterized in that the side planes (17, 18) of the intermediate element (12) which coact with the contact planes (19, 20) of the connecting blocks are provided with grooves, irregularities or friction material. Floating construction according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which the coupling means have been mounted at least on or near the four corners of the planes of the floating units to be connected, characterized in that with each of the planes to be connected at least one of the coupling means (4) lying above water is provided with an adjusting member (21) adjacent the intermediate element (12) by which the space between the planes (19, 20) to be connected with each other can be filled up. Floating construction according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling means further consists of identical, prefabricated and essentially cubical connecting blocks (5a, 5b) which are provided with three bores (6) or slots (7) extending in the main directions (9, 10, 11) of the block and being at right angles to each other for receiving the connecting rod (8) with a large play. Floating construction according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that in each case one of both floating units (5a) to be connected is provided with an in respect to this floating unit watertight closed space (22), adjacent to the connecting block (5a), for receiving the end portion (23) of the connecting rod as well as the holding means (24) for the axial fixation of this rod. Floating construction according to one or more of the characterized claims, characterized in that the other end of the connecting rod (8) opposite to the closed space (22) is provided with sealing means (26), with respect to the bore (6) in the connecting block (5b).

Inventors: GROEN WILLEM, VAN DEN ELSHOUT JOHANNES, GROEN, WILLEM, VAN DEN ELSHOUT, JOHANNES
Applicants: IHC HOLLAND NV, IHC HOLLAND N.V.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B63B35
IPC codes: B63B35, E02B3