Patent Description:
Gangways of this kind generally comprise at least two gangway elements, more specifically a proximal gangway element and a distal gangway element which is inserted into the proximal gangway element and slidable in a telescopic manner relative thereto, between a retracted terminal position and an extended terminal position.

In general, the gangways (telescopic or not) may be provided with so-called stanchions, i.e. support posts for ropes or cables that are used as a bearing or support aid for users.

These stanchions may be fixed, mounted on the gangways at the time of their use, or may be provided with systems for controlling their handling from a lying rest position to an upright use position. Gangways provided with a control system for moving the stanchions are described for example in <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

The object of the present invention is to provide a system for controlling the stanchions that is suitable for telescopic gangways. In particular, an object of the invention is to provide a control system which is compact and efficient.

The subject matter of the invention is therefore a gangway comprising.

In the aforesaid gangway, the control mechanism of the distal stanchion is made with few components, which may be sized in such a way as to have a relatively small footprint.

Further features and advantages of the gangway according to the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, provided purely for illustrative and nonlimiting purposes, in which:.

With reference to the figures, a telescopic gangway is shown, indicated as a whole with reference numeral <NUM>. This gangway may be installed on board a vehicle, in particular on board a boat.

The gangway <NUM> comprises a proximal gangway element <NUM> and a distal gangway element <NUM> inserted into the proximal gangway element <NUM> and slidable in a telescopic manner relative thereto, between a retracted terminal position, shown in <FIG>, and an extended or extracted terminal position, shown in <FIG>.

The proximal gangway member <NUM> may also be provided with its own motions, for example rotational motions. The proximal gangway element may itself be an element having a telescopic movement relative to a further gangway element or, as in the example illustrated, to a housing seat indicated with reference numeral <NUM>. The housing seat <NUM> is configured to be fixed to the structure of a boat. The handling of the gangway members is controlled by a control system and actuators in a manner which is known per se and not essential for the purposes of the invention. According to an embodiment, the proximal gangway element may simply be a housing seat configured to be fixed to the structure of a boat.

The proximal gangway element <NUM> comprises a proximal end 2a and a distal end 2b. The distal gangway element <NUM> comprises a proximal end 3a and a distal end 3b. For the purposes of the present description, the terms "proximal" and "distal" refer to the sliding direction of the distal gangway element <NUM>, corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the gangway. The term "proximal" means "closer" to the vehicle on which the gangway <NUM> is installed.

The gangway <NUM> further comprises a plurality of stanchions which may be rotated between a lowered or extended terminal position (substantially parallel to the gangway <NUM> and shown in <FIG>) and a raised or upright terminal position (shown in <FIG> and <FIG>).

In particular, the gangway <NUM> comprises a proximal stanchion <NUM> and an intermediate stanchion <NUM> hinged at the distal end 2b of the proximal gangway element <NUM>, and a distal stanchion <NUM> hinged at the distal end 3b of the distal gangway element <NUM>. The rotation axis of the distal stanchion <NUM> is indicated in the figures with x1, while the rotation axes of the proximal and intermediate stanchions <NUM>, <NUM>, not shown in the figures, are parallel to the rotation axis x1.

The gangway <NUM> further comprises a distal stanchion control mechanism configured to convert a sliding movement of the distal gangway element <NUM> relative to the proximal gangway element <NUM> into a rotational movement of the distal stanchion <NUM> relative to the distal gangway element <NUM>. The components of this control mechanism are contained inside the gangway <NUM>, but for the sake of simplicity they are represented in the figures as if they were visible from the outside.

The distal stanchion control mechanism first comprises a torsional spring <NUM> positioned on the rotation axis x1 of the distal stanchion <NUM> (shown in <FIG>), which is configured to bias the distal stanchion <NUM> from the lowered terminal position towards the raised terminal position. As an alternative to the torsional spring <NUM> it is possible to provide other elastic means associated with the distal stanchion <NUM>.

The distal stanchion control mechanism then comprises a return bracket <NUM> slidably mounted to the distal gangway element <NUM>. The return bracket <NUM> slides with respect to the distal gangway element <NUM>, between a proximal terminal position and a distal terminal position. In particular, the return bracket <NUM> slides along a direction parallel to the sliding direction of the proximal gangway element <NUM> (horizontal in the figures).

The return bracket <NUM> comprises a proximal portion, in which a slot <NUM> is formed, extending in the sliding direction of the return bracket <NUM> and the purpose of which will be described below, and a distal portion, on one end 42a of which an abutment <NUM> is formed, projecting downwards and the purpose of which will be described below. As may be seen in the figures, the distal end 42a of the return bracket <NUM> is arranged in proximity to the rotation axis x1 of the distal stanchion <NUM>.

The distal stanchion control mechanism also comprises a cam member <NUM> rotationally integral with the distal stanchion <NUM>. The cam member <NUM> is arranged in proximity to the distal end 42a and is configured to engage the return bracket <NUM> by effect of the elastic force exerted by the torsional spring <NUM>. In this way, the return bracket <NUM> is biased in a direction that goes from its distal terminal position towards its proximal terminal position.

The arrangement described above is such that, when the distal gangway element <NUM> is in its retracted terminal position (<FIG>), the return bracket <NUM> abuts against the distal end 2b of the proximal gangway element <NUM> and is located in its distal terminal position relative to the distal gangway element <NUM>. In this condition, the raising of the distal stanchion <NUM> is caused by a movement of the distal gangway element <NUM> relative to the return bracket <NUM>.

The stanchion control mechanism further comprises a latching lever <NUM> hinged to the distal gangway element <NUM>. The rotation axis of the latching lever <NUM> is indicated with x2 in the figures, and is parallel to the rotation axis x1 of the distal stanchion <NUM>. A distal end of the latching lever <NUM> is arranged in proximity to the rotation axis x1 of the distal stanchion <NUM>. A locking tip 46a and a coupling recess 46b are formed on such distal end. By such means, the latching lever <NUM> is operatively associated with a stop element <NUM> rotationally integral with the distal stanchion <NUM>.

As may be seen in <FIG>, the return bracket <NUM> and the latching lever <NUM> are arranged side by side in the direction of the rotation axis x2 of the latching lever <NUM>; consequently, the cam member <NUM> and the stop member <NUM> are arranged offset relative to each other in the direction of the rotation axis x1 of the distal stanchion <NUM>. More precisely, in the example illustrated the return bracket <NUM> comprises two parallel plates, between which the latching lever <NUM> is interposed. The latching lever <NUM> is hinged to the distal gangway element <NUM> through a hinge pin <NUM>, which passes through the slot <NUM> formed in the return bracket <NUM>. The measures described above contribute on the one hand to obtaining a particularly compact structure, and on the other hand they help to define a guide for the return bracket <NUM>.

The latching lever <NUM> may be controlled by driving means <NUM> integral with the proximal gangway element <NUM> in such a way to engage the stop element <NUM> at the lowered terminal position and the raised terminal position of the distal stanchion <NUM>, and release the stop elements <NUM> in intermediate positions between the lowered terminal position and the raised terminal position of the distal stanchion <NUM>. The latching lever <NUM> is biased against the driving means <NUM> by a helical spring <NUM>.

In particular, the latching lever <NUM> comprises a follower portion 46c and the driving means <NUM> consist of a variable profile guide with which the follower portion 46c of the latching lever <NUM> cooperates to control the latching lever <NUM>. In the example illustrated, the variable profile guide comprises a slot 49a.

The stanchions <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are connected to each other by pieces of rope F1, F2, F3 which act as handrails. Advantageously, it is an elastic rope, arranged in such a way that with the stanchions lowered, the excess rope collects inside the stanchions, which have a tubular structure for this purpose (see <FIG>).

The extraction motion, i.e. from the retracted position to the extended position, of the distal gangway member <NUM> is controlled by the control system of the gangway in a manner known per se.

<FIG> illustrates the gangway with the distal gangway element <NUM> in its retracted terminal position and the stanchions <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in their lowered terminal position.

In this condition, the distal stanchion <NUM> is kept in the lowered terminal position because the return bracket <NUM> which engages the cam member <NUM> and the latching lever <NUM> which engages the stop member <NUM> through the tip 46a block the rotation of the cam member <NUM>. The latching lever <NUM> is held in position by the spring <NUM> which pushes it towards the variable profile guide <NUM>.

When the distal gangway element <NUM> starts the movement, one is in the condition of <FIG>. In this position, the movement on the variable profile guide <NUM> integral with the proximal gangway element <NUM> forces the latching lever <NUM> to rotate around the axis x2, compressing the spring <NUM>. This movement releases the rotation of the cam C. The torsional spring <NUM> (<FIG>), located on the rotation axis x1 of the distal stanchion <NUM>, gives the distal stanchion <NUM> the rotational movement which causes it to rise.

In <FIG>, the distal gangway element <NUM> is further advanced to allow the distal stanchion <NUM> to reach its raised terminal position. The return bracket <NUM>, which has reached its proximal terminal position with respect to the distal gangway element <NUM>, prevents the terminal stanchion <NUM> from going beyond the point of maximum opening. When the latching lever <NUM> comes out of the variable profile guide <NUM>, the spring <NUM> brings the latching lever <NUM> back to the low position and engages it on the stop element or pin <NUM> integral with the cam member <NUM>, locking the distal stanchion <NUM> in its raised terminal position.

As explained above, the stanchions <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are connected to each other by means of an elastic rope housed inside the stanchions themselves. The raising of the distal stanchion <NUM>, pushed by the torsional spring <NUM>, by means of the elastic ropes F1, F2, F3, drives the proximal stanchion <NUM> and the intermediate stanchion <NUM> to open (<FIG>). The opening of the stanchions is completed when reaching the extended terminal position of the distal gangway element <NUM> (<FIG>).

In the retraction movement - i.e. from the extended position to the retracted position - the sequence of movements described above is reversed; the proximal stanchion <NUM> and the intermediate stanchion <NUM> are lowered while the distal stanchion <NUM> remains raised.

When the distal gangway element <NUM> is almost completely retracted, the latching lever <NUM> returns in contact with the variable profile guide <NUM> which raises the latching lever <NUM>, releasing the stop element <NUM> integral with the cam member <NUM>. At the same time, the return bracket <NUM> comes into frontal contact with the distal end 2b of the proximal gangway element <NUM> which stops its movement, while the distal gangway element <NUM> continues to retract (<FIG>). The return bracket <NUM> pushes on the cam member <NUM> causing the distal stanchion <NUM> to rotate downwards and overcome the force of the torsional spring <NUM>. At the end of the return of the distal gangway element <NUM>, one is in the initial condition represented in <FIG>.

Claim 1:
A gangway comprising
a proximal gangway element (<NUM>) and a distal gangway element (<NUM>) inserted into the proximal gangway element (<NUM>) and slidable in a telescopic manner relative thereto, between a retracted terminal position and an extended terminal position,
a distal stanchion (<NUM>) hinged at a distal end (3b) of the distal gangway element (<NUM>), said distal stanchion being rotatable relative to the distal gangway element (<NUM>) between a lowered terminal position and a raised terminal position, and
a distal stanchion control mechanism configured to convert a sliding motion of the distal gangway element (<NUM>) into a rotational motion of the distal stanchion (<NUM>),
characterized in that the distal stanchion control mechanism comprises
elastic means (<NUM>) associated to the distal stanchion (<NUM>) and configured to bias the distal stanchion (<NUM>) from the lowered terminal position towards the raised terminal position,
a return bracket (<NUM>) mounted to the distal gangway element (<NUM>) for a sliding motion between a proximal terminal position and a distal terminal position relative to the distal gangway element (<NUM>), and
a cam member (<NUM>) rotationally integral with the distal stanchion (<NUM>) and configured to engage the return bracket (<NUM>) by action of said elastic means (<NUM>), in such a way that the return bracket (<NUM>) is biased from the distal terminal position towards the proximal terminal position,
wherein when the distal gangway element (<NUM>) is in its retracted terminal position, the return bracket (<NUM>) is in abutment against a distal end (2b) of the proximal gangway element (<NUM>) and is in its distal terminal position relative to the distal gangway element (<NUM>), and raising of the distal stanchion (<NUM>) is caused by a motion of the distal gangway element (<NUM>) relative to the return bracket (<NUM>).