Patent ID: 7677532

Claim:
System for handling a wire, a chain or cable onboard a vessel, said system comprising: a number of winches mounted on a deck of the vessel for pulling in and letting out said wire, chain or cable; at least one tow pin and at least one shark jaw mounted in an area on the stern of the vessel, and arranged to guide or hold said wire, chain or cable that runs to or from said winches; and at least one centring device mounted in a housing which is located at a separate area of the deck between said tow pin and shark jaw, and said winches, the centring device including at least two guiding plates that can be raised and lowered, said guiding plates being rotatably mounted about mounting points arranged in the housing, said guiding plates having end edges configured to form a V-shape arrangement therebetween when the guiding plates are raised from the housing, and are completely or partially positioned within the housing when the guiding plates are lowered, wherein the V-shape arrangement between the guiding plates of the centring device operably guides said wire, chain or cable to said shark jaw, the guiding plates being arranged in a longitudinal direction substantially transverse to said wire, chain or cable, such that when the guiding plates are raised, the end edges of the guiding plates abut said wire, chain or cable to prevent rotation thereof, and wherein each guiding plate is connected to a separately driven pressure cylinder to raise and lower the guiding plates with respect to the housing.