Patent GB-854697-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to couplers for trains of pushed vehicles and their applications
IPC: B63B21/62
Filed: 1957-07-19
Abstract: 854,697. Coupling and pushing trains of vessels. CHANTIERS NAVALS FRANCOBELGES, and VERNEAUX, J. E. P. July 19, 1957 [April 8, 1957; May 28, 1957], No. 22878/57. Classes 113 and 114. [Also in Group XXXII] A coupling system of trains of pushed marine and land vehicles having a tail vehicle generating the thrust for displacing the train comprises means adapted to elongate the train when it tends to take a curved form under the influence of deflecting forces and means adapted to reduce its length to a minimum until a zero misalignment or a stable predetermined misalignment is obtained between its successive vehicles only under the action of the thrust generated by said tail vehicle when said deflecting forces have disappeared. Several different embodiments are described. In Figs. 1 and 2 two successive barges 1, 2 have bearings 3, 3a in which are mounted pins 4, 4a with transverse pivot pins 5, 5a on which are pivoted yoke members 6, 6a having slidably mounted therein a steering bar 7, and swing- bars 5b, 5c extend laterally. The ends of each swing-bar connect via chains 8, 8a to a plate 9, 9a pivotally mounted at 10 on the end wall of the barge, the lower ends of the plates housing a thrust bar 11 carrying buffers 12, 12a. When external forces cause barge 1 to divert from its position of alignment with barge 2, the steering bar 7 becomes inclined relative to the barges causing the yokes to turn and the swing-bars to exert a traction on the chain 8 on one barge and 8a on the other, inclining the plates 9, 9a about the pivots 10 so that the lower portions thereof move along the thrust bar to compress springs 13, 13a thereon, the reaction of the springs causing plates 9, 9a to be rightened by pivoting about their upper edges (held by tension in the chains), thus pins 10 of one barge or move away from those of the other, the steering bar 7 sliding in the yokes 6, 6a, and barge 1 moves away from barge 2. In the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4 the steering bar 22 slides in members 20, 20a pivoted on the barges 15, 16 on pivots which carry the swing-bars 19, 19a connected via cables to thrust bars 29, 38. The outer end of thrust bar 29 is provided with a chain 40 attached at its centre to the end of thrust bar 38, which chain acts as a shock absorber. The swing-bar 19 is shown connected to thrust bars 29 by cable and pulley arrangements, whereas the swing-bar 19a is connected to thrust-bars 38 by cables passing over amplifying pulleys 35. The barges are connected by slack crossed cables 130. To curve a train of barges or to import a stable predetermined misalignment a device is described by which the symmetry of the system may be broken by causing the swing bars to be inclined to the thrust bar carrying member by a predetermined amount. Fig. 19 shows a train of boats in a curved waterway C. The pushing boat 129 has its rudder 130 set as shown. The last pushed boat 131 has a front rudder 132. If the boats are provided with devices referred to above, such devices may be controlled from the pushing boat 129.