Patent ID: 12221324

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIG.1, a hoisting yoke1according to an embodiment of the invention is shown. Hoisting yoke1is configured to take up an elongate object such as a shown foundation pile2. The foundation pile2to be taken up is situated together with other foundation piles2on the work deck3of a vessel (not further shown). Foundation piles2can for instance be situated in a rack suitable for this purpose, which comprises preformed supports4(as for instance shown inFIG.2-10).

Hoisting yoke1comprises a beam-like support frame10which in the shown embodiment is embodied as a lattice structure. When taking up a foundation pile2, support frame10is configured to extend in a longitudinal direction20of foundation pile2. The hoisting yoke comprises two box-like end parts11which are structurally connected to support frame10and which are both provided on an upper side with a pivotable coupling piece12. For the purpose of coupling to a lifting crane (not further shown), each coupling piece12is suspended with cables51from a hoisting hook5, as shown inFIG.2. Hoisting hook5is suspended with hoisting cables50from a boom of the lifting crane.

End parts11are each provided with a sling6for taking up a foundation pile2, as shown inFIGS.2-9and2-10. The invention according to the shown embodiment relates to the manner in which foundation pile2is suspended in slings6. This necessitates less manual manipulation of components by personnel present on work deck3. Manual manipulation of less heavy tugger lines and hoisting lines can thus suffice.

Referring toFIGS.3-1and3-2, a hoisting yoke1according to an embodiment of the invention is shown, and more particularly the interior of a box-like end part11of hoisting yoke1. The end part11of support frame10comprises a first holding means13-1for a first outer end6-1of a sling6. The first holding means13-1is structurally connected to a side wall11-1of box-like end part11and comprises a cylindrical pin which extends from side wall11-1in the direction of the interior of end part11and around which the first outer end6-1of sling6can be trained. Outer end6-1can form a loop of a two-strand sling6, but can also take the form of an eye. Structurally connected is understood to mean that the connection can transfer loads, in this case from first holding means13-1to (walls of) end part11.

End part11further comprises a second holding means13-2for a second outer end6-2of sling6. Second holding means13-2is likewise structurally connected to a part of box-like end part11and comprises a cylindrical pin131which extends in the direction of the interior of end part11and which is movable with a hydraulic cylinder130in the direction of a side wall11-2lying opposite side wall11-1between an open position, in which pin131lies removed from side wall11-2, and a closed position in which pin131extends into an opening11-3arranged in side wall11-2(seeFIG.4-1).

End part11further comprises two messenger line winches (14-1,14-2) configured to pay out two messenger lines (15-1,15-2). The messenger lines (15-1,15-2) are coupled to the second outer end6-2of the sling6hanging from the first holding means13-1. As will be further elucidated below, this takes place such that when taking in the messenger lines (15-1,15-2), said sling6is carried under foundation pile2and to the relevant end part11until the second outer end6-2of sling6is in a position in which second outer end6-2can be coupled to second holding means13-2, thus forming one of the slings6for foundation pile2. The messenger line winches (14-1,14-2) are also structurally connected to (the side wall11-1of) box-like end part11. In the shown embodiment the messenger lines (15-1,15-2) further run over discs (16-1,16-2) arranged against side wall11-2so as to be able to bring the messenger lines (15-1,15-2) and a second outer end6-1of sling6coupled thereto into the vicinity of the second holding means13-2.

End part11is also provided with an auxiliary line winch17which is configured to pay out an auxiliary line18from end part11. In a step of the method auxiliary line18is also coupled to second outer end6-2of the sling6hanging from first holding means13-1, as will be further elucidated below. Auxiliary line winch17is further structurally connected to (the side wall11-2of) the box-like end part11. In the shown embodiment auxiliary line18runs over a disc19, which is structurally connected to box-like end part11, so as to be able to bring auxiliary line18into the vicinity of a second outer end6-2of sling6to be coupled thereto.

The messenger line winches (14-1,14-2) and the auxiliary line winch17can optionally be (structurally) connected in releasable manner to a part of an end part11of hoisting yoke1.

Hoisting yoke1is further provided with at least one drive, particularly a hydraulic and/or electric drive, for driving the messenger line winches (14-1,14-2) and the auxiliary line winch17, and also the hydraulic cylinder130of second holding means13-2. This drive is preferably remotely controllable, for instance by an operator of the lifting crane or by other personnel.

The manner of connecting the second outer end6-2of sling6to second holding means13-2is illustrated inFIGS.4-1-4-3and, from a front view, inFIGS.5-1-5-3. In the open position (seeFIGS.4-1and5-1) the second outer end6-2of sling6can be moved past the pin131of second holding means13-2by pulling in the messenger lines (15-1,15-2). Pin131is then slid toward side wall11-2under the influence of hydraulic cylinder130and brought into the closed position, as shown inFIGS.4-2,4-3,5-2and5-3. In this closed position the loop-shaped second outer end6-2is in a position in which it lies above pin131. By then paying out the messenger lines (15-1,15-2) the loop-shaped second outer end6-2moves toward pin131until this outer end6-2has pulled itself around pin131. In this way the second outer end6-2is coupled to the second holding means13-2and the sling6thus coupled to hoisting yoke1can carry a load, such as the foundation pile2.

Referring toFIGS.2-1-2-10, different steps are shown of a method according to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the above described hoisting yoke1is applied.

FIG.2-1shows a first step of a method for taking up an elongate foundation pile2from a work deck3of a vessel. For this purpose an embodiment of the above described hoisting yoke1is coupled to a lifting crane (not shown) situated on work deck3. A foundation pile2situated on work deck3is taken up in a sling6by holding a first outer end6-1of sling6with a first holding means13-1provided at an end part11of support frame10of hoisting yoke1, as was described above with reference toFIGS.3-1and3-2. Sling6is hung from first holding means13-1so that sling6hangs down freely from holding means13-1to a position in the vicinity of foundation pile2or work deck3(FIGS.1and2-1). In order to prevent sling6, which hangs free at one end, from swinging an auxiliary line18can in an embodiment be payed out from end part11using auxiliary line winch17and be coupled to the second outer end6-2of the sling6hanging from first holding means13-1(FIG.2-1). By then hauling in auxiliary line18using auxiliary line winch17second outer end6-2is pulled up against hoisting yoke1, as can be seen inFIG.2-2. This shortens the length of sling6so that it can be displaced with the lifting crane relative to work deck3more easily into the position, shown inFIG.2-2, above a foundation pile2to be taken up.

In a subsequent step (FIG.2-3) auxiliary line18is once again payed out, wherein the second outer end6-2of sling6is brought into the vicinity of the foundation pile2to be taken up, if desired onto work deck3, by its own weight. Sling6with auxiliary line18coupled thereto is here situated on one side of the foundation pile2to be taken up. In a subsequent step (FIG.2-4) one or more messenger lines15(15-1,15-2) are payed out per outer end11using messenger line winch(es)14(14-1,14-2), wherein a free outer end of the messenger lines15(15-1,15-2) is situated in the vicinity of foundation pile2. Messenger lines15(15-1,15-2) here hang on a different side of foundation pile2than the coupled sling6and auxiliary line18. The second outer end6-2of the sling is then uncoupled from auxiliary line18and the auxiliary line is hauled in using auxiliary line winch17(FIG.2-5).

In a subsequent step the messenger lines15(15-1,15-2) are fed under the foundation pile2to be taken up. This can for instance be done by coupling a free outer end of messenger lines15(15-1,15-2) to an outer end19-1of a connecting line19provided under the foundation pile2to be taken up. This connecting line19can for instance be arranged over another foundation pile2awhich is situated under the foundation pile2to be taken up, as shown inFIG.2-5.

In a subsequent step, shown inFIG.2-6, connecting line19is run over foundation pile2aand under the foundation pile2to be taken up. Connecting line19hereby moves the free outer end of messenger lines15(15-1,15-2) under foundation pile2and to that side of the foundation pile2were the second outer end6-2of sling6is also situated.

The messenger lines15(15-1,15-2) are then coupled to the second outer end6-2of the sling6which is still hanging from first holding means13-1(FIG.2-7).

By now taking in messenger lines15(15-1,15-2) using messenger line winches14(14-1,14-2) sling6is carried under foundation pile2and to the relevant end part11, as shown inFIG.2-8, until the second outer end6-2of sling6can be coupled to second holding means13-2, as was elucidated above with reference toFIGS.4-1-4-3and5-1-5-3.

It will be apparent that the above described method steps are preferably performed at both end parts11of support frame10of hoisting yoke1, and are preferably also performed simultaneously at both end parts11.

The thus formed slings6are now able to take up foundation pile2with both end parts11of hoisting yoke1and displace them as shown inFIGS.2-9and2-10.

It will be apparent that the above described embodiments of the hoisting yoke have to be provided with peripheral equipment such as for instance hydraulic and electrical power sources, feed conduits therefor and the like. This peripheral equipment is not described in further detail.