EP1843940B1

EP1843940B1 - Cargo handling arrangement and system on a cargo ship

Info

Publication number: EP1843940B1
Application number: EP06700665.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gustaf Carlberg
Original assignee: MacGregor Sweden AB
Current assignee: MacGregor Sweden AB
Priority date: 2005-01-21
Filing date: 2006-01-19
Publication date: 2014-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 2026-01-19
Also published as: EP1843940A1; SE0500172L; KR20070098937A; NO20073607L; SE530819C2; JP2008528355A; WO2006093445A1; CN100519329C; SE530819E; KR101328193B1; CN101107160A; PL1843940T3; EP1843940A4

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a cargo handling arrangement on a cargo ship according to the preamble of claim 1.

BACKGROUND ART

Cargo handling arrangements on cargo ships for side loading and unloading are previously disclosed. Examples of such arrangements are so-called side loading arrangements on ships, where the load in the form of cargo, such as general cargo, is carried on several decks in the ship on various levels, in conjunction with which a cargo hoist is arranged in a shaft and is capable of vertical displacement between the different decks. Arranged in conjunction with an opening in the ship is an unloading station, which is situated at an appropriate level above a quay. Provided on the quay are traveling, mobile loading units in the form of, for example, fork-lift trucks for collecting the general cargo for transport to warehouses or the like. Conversely, the loading station can be used for loading the ship via the cargo hoist and onto the various decks. In relation to the load capacity of the ship, very often with large decks on several levels, the loading station very often represents a restriction of the load capacity.
WO 9524336 proposes a system for loading and unloading a container ship. The ship is equipped with a first hoist, which moves vertically inside the ship, and with a second hoist, which moves on the outside of the ship, together with horizontal conveyors, which move between the hoists. The zone between the hoists is used as a buffer zone for the cargo.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to increase the cargo capacity for a certain hoist capacity or hatch opening size.
The aforementioned object is achieved by means of an arrangement according to claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention is now described in greater detail below as a couple of illustrative embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1: illustrates one embodiment of a cargo handling arrangement in accordance with the invention as a schematic cross section through a ship next to a quay;
Fig. 2: is a schematic side view of a section of the ship with the cargo handling arrangement in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 3: is a schematic view from above of a larger section of the ship showing the loading deck; and
Fig. 4: is a schematic view from above showing one of the upper cargo decks.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The cargo handling arrangement 1 in accordance with the invention is described initially with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross section through a ship, which is moored alongside a quay 4, which is situated at a level 5 that can vary relative to the ship, on the one hand between different ports, on the other hand due to the actual height of the tide, and also due to the actual weight of the cargo on the ship. Two different quay levels are illustrated in Fig. 1. Arranged on one side 2 of the ship is at least one, and in the example two, cargo openings 6, which are shown open, although they are intended to be closed when loading is not taking place by means of a door 7, which is capable of being moved out of the way by being so arranged as to pivot about hinges, or alternatively is capable of displacement in guides. The opposite side 3 can also be provided with loading openings.
The ship is provided, as can be appreciated from Fig. 1, with a number of decks 8-14, which are accessible to the cargo handling arrangement 1 in accordance with the invention. Each deck exhibits along one side an inner unloading opening 15 that is so arranged as to be closed between loading occasions by means of an inner hatch 20, which is illustrated in Fig. 1 in both an open and a closing position. In the illustrated example, the inner hatches are pivotally suspended about hinges on their upper edge. Arranged on every deck or deck level is at least one, and in the illustrated example two, loading/ unloading deck conveyors 16, 17 in the form of, for example, belt conveyors; see Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Arranged between the loading/unloading conveyors is a hoist shaft 18, that is to say an open space extending between all the decks, in which space a cargo hoist 19 is capable of vertical displacement between the cargo decks 8-14, that is to say it is so arranged as to stop at every deck level, including the loading/unloading deck 9.
The loading/ unloading deck conveyors 16, 17 are arranged to either side of the cargo hoist 19 or, more specifically, the hoist shaft 18, and they extend and have a working direction in the longitudinal sense of the ship in the illustrated example; see the double arrows 32. These conveyors 16, 17 serve as buffer conveyors and move with advantage intermittently. They can also with advantage have the same load capacity as the cargo hoist 19, which can similarly be provided with advantage with a conveyor and can possibly also accommodate a loading truck 21, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. When loading general cargo of the load pallet type or container type, the loading truck 21 is used on the respective deck levels 8-14 for the purpose of moving the cargo between its position on the respective deck and the loading/ unloading conveyors 16, 17.
One of the cargo decks 8-14, cargo deck 9 in the illustrated example, serves not only as a cargo deck for the stowage of the cargo on board the ship, but also as a loading and unloading deck, in conjunction with which the cargo opening or the cargo openings 6 are arranged on at least one side 2 of the ship, but possibly also on both sides of the ship, where a special loading and unloading arrangement 22 is also situated. In order to be able to undertake loading with the loading deck 9 situated at a certain distance above the level 5 of the quay, the loading and unloading arrangement can be executed with advantage as a lifting arrangement of the telpher hoist type 25, which is capable of displacement between an inner position inside the ship and an outer position at an appropriate loading level above the quay. On the one hand, the crane is so arranged as to be retracted into the ship while the ship is under way, and, on the other hand, the mobile crane is capable of moving between an inner position for collecting/delivering cargo and an outer position for delivering/collecting cargo. For this purpose, the loading arrangement 22 in the illustrated example is executed with two parallel crane girders 23, 24 that are capable of displacement in their longitudinal sense in guides between an inner and an outer position and are situated at a high level so that they are able to project at the top into the cargo opening 6. Also provided is a transverse traveling carriage 25, which on the one hand is capable of travelling along the girders, and on the other hand permits the crane to travel transversely across the longitudinal direction of the girders to permit flexible handling in conjunction with the positioning of cargo in a desired location. As can be appreciated from Fig. 3, both cargo openings are provided with a loading arrangement to permit a higher capacity or, alternatively, flexibility in the choice of loading station on a quay.
It can also be appreciated from Fig. 3 that separate buffer zones 26, 27, positioned between the deck conveyors 16, 17 that are arranged on all the cargo decks 8-14, are arranged on the cargo deck 9, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The buffer zones 26, 27 are provided with buffer conveyors 28, 29, which have a direction of working in the direction of the double arrow 30, 31 that is to say between the respective deck conveyor 16, 17 and the ship opening 6.
A very effective flow of cargo with a maximum capacity in relation to the available transport routes is thus obtained by means of the cargo handling arrangement in accordance with the invention that is a constituent part of a total cargo handling system for the loading and unloading of cargo respectively to and from a cargo ship. The system is controlled by a control system with a number of proximity sensors on one or more of the conveyors, the separate deck conveyors 16, 17 and the buffer conveyors 28, 29 for the purpose of recording the presence of a load on the conveyors and, with a computer system, for controlling the conveyors for the stepped feed, and also for controlling the hoist and transmitting information to an operator in respect of the actual status of the cargo handling process. The successive, stepped feed of cargo, on the one hand on every deck, and on the other hand in conjunction with loading and unloading, on the one hand creates space for loading and on the other hand ensures that cargo is constantly available for unloading.
The invention is not restricted to the illustrative embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, but may be varied within the scope of the following patent claims. For example, a plurality of openings may be arranged on the side of the ship with a view to further increasing the cargo capacity, in conjunction with which a corresponding number of cargo hoists and cargo arrangements are arranged at the respective opening. If the cargo capacity can be further increased, the ship can be equipped with three or more receiving and delivery stations for mobile cargo units. The lifting crane can be of a pivoting type with extending crane girders. The telpher crane can be used alternatively with one or more crane girders.

Claims

A cargo handling arrangement on a cargo ship for handling cargo between a ship (3) and a quay (4) in conjunction with loading and unloading, comprising a number of cargo decks (8-14) situated at different levels in the ship, a cargo hoist (19), which is arranged in the ship and is capable of displacement between the various cargo decks and a loading/unloading arrangement for transferring the cargo between the ship and the quay (4) via at least one opening (6) arranged in the ship situated on one of the cargo decks (9), in conjunction with which the cargo handling arrangement exhibits at least one buffer zone (26, 27) with a buffer conveyor (28, 29), which has a direction of working between the ship opening (6) and the cargo decks (9) and which is so arranged as to hold cargo temporarily for subsequent transfer between the loading/unloading arrangement and the respective cargo deck, characterized in that at least one deck conveyor (16, 17) is arranged next to the cargo hoist (19) on each cargo deck (8-14) and serves as a buffer conveyor for the stepped feed of cargo to/from the hoist (19), wherein each deck conveyor (16, 17) have a direction of working in the longitudinal sense of the ship.
The cargo handling arrangement as claimed in patent claim 1, characterized in that the loading/unloading arrangement (22) consists of a lifting crane that is situated on the vessel (1) and is so arranged as to be changed over between an effective cargo position and a storage position on the ship.
The cargo handling arrangement as claimed in patent claim 2, characterized in that the lifting crane is of the telpher type with crane beams (23, 24) that are capable of displacement between an extended loading position and a retracted storage position.
The cargo handling arrangement as claimed in patent claim 1 characterized in a control system consisting of a computer system and proximity sensors for detecting the presence of cargo on at least certain of the conveyors and for the intermittent feeding of the cargo on these conveyors.