APPARATUS FOR BOOMS

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for booms, preferably so-called self-expanding booms, which comprises a plate arranged on a platform, which plate is rotatable by means of a motor unit, and which comprises a means for winding up the boom, which means is placed essentially vertically and essentially at the middle of the plate, and a means for feeding in the boom, which means is arranged at an outer portion of the platform. According to the invention the apparatus comprises the combination of the following features: the platform (2) and the motor unit (7)/feeding means (10) are designed in that way that the later ones can be plugged into and out from the platform; the plate is designed in that way that it can be driven by a gear pinion (9) which is arranged in the motor unit (7), and which goes into engagement with the plate when the motor unit is plugged into the platform; the feeding means (10) is designed and positioned in that way that the boom can be pressed together to a compact package when the boom is pulled in without need of extra guiding rolls.

Description: APPARATUS FOR BOOMS This invention relates to an apparatus for booms, pre¬ ferably so-called selfexpanding booms, which comprises a plate arranged on a platform, which plate is rotatable by means of a motor unit, and which comprises a means for winding up the boom, which means is placed essentially vertically and essenti- ally at the middle of the plate, and a means for feeding in the boom, which means is arranged at an outer portion of the plat¬ form. Such an apparatus is previously known by the granted Swedish patent application 429 143. This known apparatus has three guiding rolls placed on the platform itself at a distance from the means for winding up the boom, which rolls are connec¬ ted together with the winding up means by an overhead rod. This means that the known apparatus becomes unnecessarily expensive to manufacture. This invention relates to a winding up means, which is in-expensive to manufacture and which is effective to use when rolling up the booms. The effectivity depends primarily on the fact that the motor unit and the means for feeding in the boom simply can be plugged into and out of the platform. The inven¬ tion has the features which are apparent from the claims. A preferred embodiment of the invention shall be de¬ scribed more closely below with reference to the accompanying drawings, where Fig. 1 shows the apparatus in a disjoined con- dition, and Fiσ. 2 shows the apparatus in an assembled condi¬ tion with a boom during the winding up phase. Referring to Fig. 1 is shown there the new apparatus. This one comprises a rotatable plate 1, which is arranged on a platform 2. This one comprises tubular plate girders which are arranged in that way that there are created two cavities 3a, b; 4a, b; 5a, b; 6a, b having rectangular cross-section at four areas outside the plate, each of which having an angular dis¬ tance to each other of about 90°. In any one of these cavities a motor unit 7, which is intended to rotate the plate 1, can be plugged in. In this connection the male part 8 of the motor unit is projected into the cavity 3a. The motor unit comprises a gear pinion 9, which is intended to go into engagement with the plate 1 when the motor unit is plugged in, the peripheral portion of the plate being arranged in that way that it can receive the teeth of the gear pinion 9. A means 10 for feeding in the boom is also intended to be plugged into the platform 2. This means has a relatively long male part 11 which in this case is intended to be introduced into the cavity 5a. The feeding means 10 is further provided with a first feeding roll 12, which is fastened in the frame 13 and which projects obliquely upwards in a direction forming the angle α with the horizontal line. The angle a suitably lies between 20° and 70°. The feeding roll 12 is intended to be in contact with the portion 14 of the floating body of the boom (see Fig. 2) when drawing in the boom. A second feeding roll 15 is fastened in the same frame 13 as the roll 12 and at essenti¬ ally an angular distance of 90° from the same. This roll is in- tended to be in contact with the skirt portion 16 of the boom (see Fig. 2) when drawing in the boom, i.e. the portion which is fastened in the lower part of the floating body and which at the bottom is provided with weights, whereby the boom can be held in a correct position in the water. The position of the frame 13 in relation to the male part 11 can be changed within certain areas by an adjusting means 17. The apparatus further comprises a means 18 for winding up the boom, which is detachably arranged essentially at the middle of the plate 1. This means 18 comprises four pipes 19a-d which at the top are kept together by a plate 20 and which at the bottom are fastened in a suitable way in the plate 1. This fastening can be made by means of four long bolts 21-d, each of which penetrates a corresponding pipe. In that connection the pipes 19a-d are arranged in that way that the means 18 has a conical form, the distance between the pipes being largest at the bottom. In Fig. 2 is shown the phase when a boom is wound up. In that connection the apparatus is positioned on a dock 22 or the like. As is apparent from Fig. 2 the boom can be wound up effectively, i.e. air can be evacuated from the boom and this one can be wound up to a compact package around the winding up means 18 without the need of extra accessories like guiding rolls. An essential point in this connection is that when winding up the boom in a clock-wise direction and if the boom is placed to the left of the apparatus, seen in the pulling up direction, the feeding means shall be plugged into the cavity 5a which is positioned to the right of the center line c of the apparatus, seen essentially in the pulling up direction. This has the consequence that when the rotation in the clock-wise direction of the plate starts, the boom will be pressed to¬ gether when it passes by the feeding roll 12 so that a compact package of the boom is created around the winding up means 18. When the winding up phase is over, the bolts 21a-d are loosen¬ ed, whereafter the pipes 19a-d due to the conical mounting arrangement simply can be lifted up. In that connection the boom is made free and can be taken away to a storing space. When winding up a boom which is laid out to the right of the apparatus, seen in the winding up direction, the feeding means ought to be plugged in the cavity 5b. Furthermore, the plate in this case ought to be rotated in the counter clock¬ wise direction. Due to that fact in the same way as previously there is a substantial change of the motion direction of the boom when pulling in the same which has the consequence that the boom is pressed together effectively so that a compact package of the same will be created around the winding up means. Due to the fact that the motor unit 7 and the feeding means 10 easily can be plugged into and out of the platform, the apparatus is quick and simple to use. Moreover, the appa¬ ratus will be inexpensive to manufacture, when no extra acces¬ sories in the form of guiding rolls are needed. The invention is of course not limited to the mentioned embodiment but can be modified within the scope of the follow¬ ing claims.

Claims: Claims 1. Apparatus for booms, preferably so-called self ex¬ panding booms, which comprises a plate arranged on a platform, which plate is rotatable by means of a motor unit, and which comprises a means for winding up the boom, which means is placed essentially vertically and essentially at the middle of the plate, and a means for feeding in the boom, which means is arranged at an outer portion of the platform, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that it comprises the combination of the following features: - the platform (2) and the motor unit (7) /feeding means (10) are so designed that the later ones can be plugged into and out of the platform; - the plate is designed in that way that it can driven by a gear pinion (9) which is arranged in the motor unit (7) and which goes into engagement with the plate when the motor unit is plugged into the platform; - the feeding means (10) is designed and positioned in that way that the boom can be pressed together to a compact package when the boom is pulled in without need of extra guiding rolls. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the platform (2) comprises tubular plate girders which are arranged in that way that there are created two cavities (3a, b; 4a, b; 5a, b; 6a, b) having rectangular cross-section at four areas outside the plate (1) , each of which areas has an angular distance to each other of about 90°. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e in that each of the motor unit (7) and the feeding means (10) has a male means (8, 11) by which the motor unity- feeding means can be plugged into and out of the platform (2) via the cavities (3a, b; 4a, b; 5a, b; 6a, b) . 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the feeding means (10) comprises a first feeding roll (12) which is fastened in a frame (13) and which projects obliquely upwards in a direction forming the angle α with the horizontal line and a second feeding roll (15) which is fastened in the same frame (13) as the roll (12) and at an angular distance of about 90° from the same. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the position of the frame (13) in relation to the male part (11) can be changed by an adjusting means (17) . 6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the winding up means (18) comprises four pipes (19-d) which at the top are held together by means of a plate (20) and each of which being penetrated by a bolt (21a-d) , which are fastened to the plate (1) by screws, and that the distance between the pipes conti¬ nuously increases seen in the direction downwards so that the winding up means (18) gets a conical form. 7. Apparatus according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the angle α lies between 20° and 70°.

Inventors: OESTERLUND ANSGAR, OESTERLUND, ANSGAR
Applicants: ROTO MEKAN AB
Application year: 1991
Main classification: E02B15
IPC codes: E02B15